Komatsu shuffles senior management

Komatsu has made a series of changes to its senior management team, including the appointment of current president and CEO Kunio Noji as chairman. Tetsuji Ohashi, currently a director and senior executive officer, will take over as president and CEO.

Other changes at Komatsu will see the current chairman, Masahiro Sakane move to a position as a director and councillor to the company, while current representative director and executive vice president Yoshinori Komamura becomes a director.

“Together with a new mid-range management plan [fiscal years 2013 – 2015], starting in the next fiscal year, Komatsu is going to rejuvenate its management team and start with a new structure for further growth,” said the company in a statement.

Incoming president and CEO, Mr Ohashi, will be 59 when he takes over in April at the start of the fiscal year. He joined Komatsu in 1977 after graduating from the University of Tokyo with a degree in engineering. Previous roles at Komatsu have included a three year spell as president and COO of Komatsu America, which finished in April 2007. Since then he has served in an executive capacity overseeing production, and most recently in a business planning role.