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Bandai Namco Holdings, Bandai Namco Arts Appoint New Presidents

Bandai Namco Holdings confirmed on Monday that it is merging its business units together in April, and that it is appointing current executive vice president and director Masaru Kawaguchi as the company's new president and representative director under its new structure on April 1. Current president and representative director Mitsuaki Taguchi will become the company's chairman and director on the same day.

The company will be reorganizing its five business units into three units to "strengthen its IP Axis Strategy in the global market." It will combine its Toys and Hobby Unit (for physical products) and Network Entertainment Unit (for digital content), and it will also combine its Visual and Music Production Unit and IP Creation Unit. Its Real Entertainment Unit will remain its own unit.

The senior managing director of Bandai Namco Arts Satoshi Konо̄ will be promoted to the company's president on April 1. Kazumi Kawashiro, who has served as president and CEO since 2012 and between 2003-2010, will step down from his position. Bandai Namco Arts' vice president and representative director Shunji Inoue and part-time director Kyōko Matsumoto are also stepping down.

Kawaguchi joined Bandai in 1983. He became a part-time Director of Bandai Namco Entertainment in April 2019, and he became executive vice president and director of the company in April 2020.

Konо̄ joined Bandai in 1992, and he transferred to Bandai Namco Arts (formerly Bandai Visual) in 1994. He has produced Ultraman series and live-action movies, as well as anime for the company.

Sources: Animation Business Journal (Tadashi Sudo), Bandai Namco