Hiroshi Yasuda
Profile
Performance in office
Tenure
Tenure
Background
After graduating from Osaka University of Commerce in March 1937, he joined Hanshin Electric Railway and moved to Osaka Gas in February 1945. His predecessor Iwao Nishiyama had also joined Hanshin Electric Railway in 1928 and switched to Osaka Gas in April 1944, so two men who followed the same path became President in succession. He rose from sales to the board, becoming Director and General Manager of the Sales Department in August 1963, Managing Director in February 1966, Representative Director and Senior Managing Director in March 1968, and Executive Vice President in March 1970.
Selection
He became Representative Director and President in September 1973, and his predecessor Iwao Nishiyama moved to Chairman the same month. The change came three and a half years after he became Executive Vice President. Ordinary income had fallen for two straight years, from ¥7.5 billion in the FY ended January 1972 to ¥3.6 billion in the FY ended January 1973 and ¥2.0 billion in the FY ended January 1974. The first oil crisis struck the month after he took office.
Initiatives
In May 1975 the company began its natural gas conversion, starting work to replace gas appliances throughout the service area. On the feedstock side, he became a Director of Japan Indonesia LNG in February 1974. The second Senboku plant started operation in August 1977. Net sales rose from ¥333.1 billion in the FY ended March 1976 to ¥572.5 billion in the FY ended March 1981, while the company posted an ordinary loss of ¥0.4 billion in the FY ended March 1980 before recovering to ordinary income of ¥55.8 billion in the FY ended March 1981.
Career
Career
Hanshin Electric Railway
| Date | Position |
|---|---|
| 1937 | Joined |
Osaka Gas
| Date | Position |
|---|---|
| 1945 | Joined |
| Aug 1963 | Director |
| Sep 1974 | President |
| Apr 1981 | Stepped down as President |