Nobutsugu Shimizu
Profile
Performance in office
Tenure
Tenure
Background
Nobutsugu Shimizu's family business began in 1910, when his father Shigeru Shimizu started making and wholesaling towels and similar goods in Tsu, Mie Prefecture. Around 1935 it turned to wholesale and retail centered on food in Tenma, Osaka, and after the war it entered the Osaka Central Market as a food intermediate wholesaler as soon as the market reopened. Shimizu became manager of Shimizu Shoten in 1945 and its head in 1948. In October 1956 he founded Shimizu Jitsugyo in Nihonbashi Honcho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, with capital of ¥5 million, focused on importing and selling canned pineapple and bananas, and became its first President.
Selection
When the company listed on the Second Section of the Osaka Securities Exchange in October 1982, Shimizu handed the presidency to his younger brother Mitsuo Shimizu and became Chairman. The understanding was that he would return as President once the listing was completed in three stages, but after assignment to the First Section in August 1984 he took on the chairmanship of the Japan Chain Stores Association, and Mitsuo stayed on. At the start of fiscal 1987 Mitsuo launched the "303 Strategy," pushing diversification toward ¥300 billion in sales and 30 group companies by 1992. Seeing this as a departure from the core business, Shimizu declared his return as President at a board meeting on March 15, 1988, and demoted Mitsuo to Director.
Initiatives
In October 1971 the company opened its Itabashi store in Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, and at the same time set up a Tokyo headquarters, creating a two-base structure with the Osaka headquarters. In May 1973 it changed its name to LIFE, dropping the Shimizu Jitsugyo name left over from its import wholesale days. After his return in 1988 he reviewed the diversification his brother had pursued and brought management back to the core food supermarket business. He did not look for a successor among relatives: in June 2005 he transferred 20% of his shares to Mitsubishi Corporation, moving the largest shareholding outside the founding family, and in March 2006 he entrusted the presidency to Takaharu Iwasaki.
Career
Career
Life Corporation
| Date | Position |
|---|---|
| Sep 1945 | 清水商店代表者 (translation pending) |
| Oct 1956 | Representative Director, President |
| Feb 1982 | Representative Director, Chairman |
| Feb 1982 | Stepped down as President |
| Mar 1988 | Representative Director, Chairman and President |
| May 1990 | General Manager, Development Headquarters |
| Feb 2000 | General Manager, General Sales Headquarters |
| Oct 2002 | 株式会社日本流通未来教育センター代表取締役会長に就任 (translation pending) |
| Mar 2006 | Representative Director, Chairman and CEO |
| Mar 2006 | Stepped down as President |
| May 2021 | Director, Honorary Chairman |
清信興産株式会社 (translation pending)
| Date | Position |
|---|---|
| Sep 1983 | Representative Director |
Eru Food Services
| Date | Position |
|---|---|
| Oct 1988 | Representative Director, Chairman |
| Aug 1992 | Representative Director, Chairman and President |
Erurain
| Date | Position |
|---|---|
| Oct 1988 | Representative Director, Chairman |
| Aug 1992 | Representative Director, Chairman and President |
Life Kosan
| Date | Position |
|---|---|
| Oct 1988 | Representative Director, Chairman |
Distribution Industries, Nippon
| Date | Position |
|---|---|
| Feb 2004 | Representative Director, Vice Chairman |
| Feb 2009 | Representative Director |
| Feb 2009 | Chairman |
Nippon Food
| Date | Position |
|---|---|
| May 2012 | Representative Director, Founder |
| Apr 2015 | Representative Director, Chairman, Life Financial Services |
References 4
References (Japanese primary sources)
- 証券アナリストジャーナル（1982年11月号、20巻11号）
- 日経ビジネス 1988年6月20日号「清水信次氏（ライフストア社長）・清水三夫氏（ライフストア相談役）ロマン切り捨て路線一本化へ」
- ライフコーポレーション 有価証券報告書【沿革】
- ライフコーポレーション 有価証券報告書【役員の状況】