News

Dwango Chairman Nobuo Kawakami Steps Down, Takes Up New Position as Director & CTO

Nobuo Kawakami, chairman and chief technology officer of telecommunications company Dwango, announced during a board of directors meeting on Thursday that he is resigning from the position, and will instead take up position as the "director and chief technology officer," effective immediately. Dwango's website currently doesn't list anyone in a chairperson position. Takashi Araki remains the company president.

Kawakami said his reasoning was so that he could maximize the worth of the overall company by concentrating on the development of new technology. He said he would focus his efforts on strengthening the Niconico video service, as well as working on AI and education.

Kawakami founded Dwango in 1997. After Kadokawa and Dwango merged in 2014 to form Kadokawa Dwango, Kawakami served chairman of Kadokawa Dwango (Dwango and Kadokawa are each subsidiary companies of Kadokawa Dwango). Kawakami then switched positions with then-President Tatsuo Satō to become president of Kadokawa Dwango in June 2015 (a position he still holds).

Kawakami served the president of Dwango, before Kadokawa and Dwango began efforts to merge the two companies in 2011. He also served as a "producer-in-training" at Studio Ghibli and is now a board director of new Evangelion films' Studio Khara.

Dwango is the corporate parent of the game companies Spike Chunsoft and MAGES., as well as of Niwango, the company that runs the Niconico video-sharing site.

Source: CNet Japan, Netlab via Otakomu