With the Wii U failing to move mountains and news that a shake-up may be coming within the Nintendo ranks, the company today announced a bit of a restructuring.
The company today announced that Tatsumi Kimishima (the CEO/Chairman of Nintendo of America) will shift over to Japan and become the managing director of Nintendo Co., Ltd. along with the general manager of Corporate Analysis and Administration, and the General Affairs Division. The executives currently in those positions, Yoshihiro Mori and Masaharu Matsumoto, will be retiring (or “retiring”).
Satoru Iwata remains as the Global President, and will take over some of Kimishima’s former Nintendo of America CEO duties.
Read on for the announcement from Nintendo.
Nintendo Co., Ltd. (NCL) today announced a planned promotion for Tatsumi Kimishima, current chairman and CEO of Nintendo of America (NOA) and a director of its parent Nintendo Co., Ltd. Subject to shareholder approval, he will become NCL managing director, and transfer from NOA in Redmond, Wash., to NCL headquarters in Kyoto, Japan. In his new position, he will assume the roles of general manager of Corporate Analysis and Administration, and general manager of the General Affairs Division. These titles are currently held by Yoshihiro Mori and Masaharu Matsumoto respectively, both of whom are retiring. Kimishima will assume his new duties in Kyoto later this summer.
Kimishima was named to his current position at NOA in 2006. He first joined Nintendo in Japan in 2000, and was subsequently named president of Pok?mon USA in 2001, before moving on to become president of the Nintendo of America subsidiary in 2002. Previously, he spent 27 years at Sanwa Bank of Japan, with multiple postings in North America and Central America.
Many of his current responsibilities, including the CEO title, will be assumed by Global President Satoru Iwata. The move will support the company?s unified global strategy, allow streamlined decision making and enhance Nintendo’s organizational agility in the current competitive environment. Reggie Fils-Aime will continue in his role as president and COO of NOA, reporting to Iwata.
Other changes announced to Nintendo?s global board of directors can be found at http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/.