Executive decisions at The Big N
Nintendo has announced that their current President and Representative Director, Tatsumi Kimishima, is to retire from his role at the head of the Japanese industry giant on June 28.
Kimishima, 68, is the fifth Nintendo President, having stepped into the role following the passing of Satoru Iwata in 2015. Kimishima joined Nintendo as the Chief Financial Officer of the Pokemon division, eventually rising to President of Pokemon USA in 2001. In the following years, Kimishima would be promoted within Nintendo itself, becoming Chairman of the Board, then Managing Director, before finally taking on the Presidential position.
Kimishima is to be succeeded by 46-year-old Shuntaro Furukawa. Furukawa currently holds multiple positions at Nintendo, having been with the company for almost 25 years. Already a Director and Managing General Officer, Furukawa is also the General Manager of corporate planning and the supervisor of the corporate analysis and administration division.
In other personnel news it was announced that the President of Nintendo Europe, Sotaru Shibata, has also decided to take leave of his position. Shibata, who has made regular appearances on Nintendo Direct streams and headed up the European division since 2000, is expected to take a new position in Japan on the company’s board of directors.
