Sharp has named Tetsuji Kawamura as its president and chief executive officer, effective April 1, marking a shift from restructuring to growth as the company looks to expand its global brand alongside parent Foxconn Technology Group.
The leadership transition, announced at a press conference on March 31, follows a two-year restructuring period that included asset-lightening its device business and increased investment in brand operations. Kawamura succeeds Masahiro Okitsu, who will transition to vice chairman.
Okitsu said the company returned to profitability in fiscal 2024 and is now entering a new phase.
"With that phase complete, we are now entering a stage where we will take a major step toward growth," he said, describing the handover as a milestone.
Focus on corporate value
Kawamura said his priority will be to "maximize corporate value," with a focus on achieving renewed growth and strengthening communication.
He said the company will accelerate the commercialization of new businesses and expand the Sharp brand globally, adding that his overseas experience could help support these efforts.
Kawamura has spent about 25 years of his career overseas, primarily in the US and Europe, with experience in B2B operations and sales.
Foxconn collaboration
Kawamura said leveraging resources from parent Foxconn will be important to support new business development and global expansion.
At the same time, he emphasized that the relationship should not be one-sided.
"Foxconn's scale is significantly larger than Sharp's, but it should not be a one-sided relationship where they carry our burden," he said. "Each side has different assets, and we aim to generate synergies by leveraging those strengths."
He said Sharp's strengths lie in its globally recognized brand and its sales and service network, while Foxconn has advantages in upstream segments of the value chain.
Organizational changes
Sharp will implement organizational changes effective April 1, placing its business development function directly under the CEO to accelerate new growth initiatives.
Kawamura will lead the unit, with newly appointed CTO Mitsuru Tokuyama serving as deputy.
The unit will oversee early-stage development in areas including AI servers, electric vehicles, and AIoT applications, before transferring projects to business divisions as they approach commercialization.
Kawamura said these initiatives remain at an early stage and require stronger execution from top management.
Leadership background
Kawamura joined Sharp in 1984 and has spent about two-thirds of his career, or 25 years, in overseas markets.
He previously led copier dealer acquisitions and the development of direct sales networks in the US. He later served as president of Sharp Electronics Europe and chairman of its US sales unit.
In 2024, he was appointed head of the Smart Office Business Group, which recorded the highest profit among Sharp's business units in the fiscal year ended March 2025. He became chief business development officer in 2025, focusing on new business development.
Kawamura said he was initially surprised by the appointment, noting the shift from a technology-focused leadership under Okitsu to his own background in sales.
"As companies enter a growth phase, the background required of top management also evolves," he said.
Corporate philosophy
Looking ahead, Kawamura said his mission is to place Sharp on a new growth trajectory while preserving its core values.
"Even as generations change, there are things that must remain unchanged," he said. "That includes the spirit of improving people's lives while competing with others, and our management philosophy of sincerity and creativity."
As the company's 12th president, he said he intends to carry forward Sharp's corporate DNA while driving its transformation into a global company with stronger growth momentum.
Article translated by Sherri Wang and edited by Jack Wu
