LIXIL Announces Senior Leadership Appointments to Drive Ongoing Transformation

Tokyo – LIXIL Corporation (“LIXIL”, TSE Code: 5938), maker of pioneering water and housing products, today announced senior leadership appointments to drive its ongoing transformation to become a more agile and entrepreneurial company that can achieve sustainable growth. 

After ten years with LIXIL, Sachio Matsumoto, Director, Representative Executive Officer,  Executive Vice President, Finance, Treasury, M&A, and IR, and CFO,  will step  down from his executive roles as Representative Executive Officer and CFO, effective March 31st. Matsumoto's financial acumen and leadership have been instrumental in refining LIXIL's business strategies and enhancing its financial stability. Matsumoto will continue in his role as Director and is set to retire from the Board of Directors following the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (“AGM”) to be held in June this year. In order to leverage his extensive experience toward our sustainable growth, he will continue to serve in the capacity of Non-executive Chairman after retiring from the Board of Directors. 

Mariko Fujita, who currently holds the position of Senior Vice President and Deputy CFO, will be advancing to the roles of Executive Officer, Executive Vice President, Finance, Treasury, M&A, and IR, and CFO, effective April 1st. This strategic move is part of LIXIL's ongoing commitment to enhancing its leadership team based on strong succession planning. Fujita joined LIXIL in 2022 as Leader of Finance, LIXIL Water Technology Japan.

Her promotion to Deputy CFO in January 2024 broadened her remit, enabling her to work closely with Mastumoto in supporting the Finance function's overall operations, including corporate planning and treasury management. Prior to joining LIXIL, Fujita previously served in senior finance roles including as the VP Financial Planning & Controlling of UD Trucks, a leading Japanese commercial vehicle solutions provider. She earlier worked in retail finance at Amazon Japan, GE Capital Japan, and Accenture.

LIXIL CEO Kinya Seto said, “On behalf of LIXIL’s executive management team and Board of Directors, I would like to express our sincere appreciation for Sachio Matsumoto’s outstanding contributions and unwavering commitment. He has greatly supported us in implementing the LIXIL Playbook and steering LIXIL through a rapidly changing business environment. The transition in CFOs reflects our commitment to fostering development and growth of our leaders based on succession planning and ensuring financial stewardship that aligns with our vision for growth and innovation. In his role as Advisor, Matsumoto will continue to provide support and counsel to the leadership team, drawing on his vast expertise. At the same time, we are thrilled to have Mariko Fujita as Executive Officer and CFO. Her extensive financial expertise and exceptional leadership qualities make her well-equipped to lead our finance function. I look forward to working with her more closely as we continue our transformation journey.”

Director Candidates & Executive Officers
Additionally, LIXIL has announced its slate of proposed candidates for election to the Board of Directors at the AGM, which is scheduled to be held in June 2024. The company will re-elect nine of the current eleven Directors and will propose Ryusuke Ohori as a new candidate for the Board.

Ohori's distinguished career includes senior positions such as Head of Research and Chief Investment Officer for Japanese Equities at JPMorgan Asset Management (Japan) Ltd. He is also actively engaged as the Executive Director of the Institutional Investors Collective Engagement Forum, promoting stewardship among institutional investors. Additionally, he holds the role of Outside Director at Maeda Road Construction. He has a proven track record of strategic leadership, complemented by his extensive expertise in finance and investment management.

Masatoshi Matsuzaki, who has served as Outside Director and the Chairperson of the Board of Directors since 2019, is set to retire from the Board of Directors. During his tenure, he has played a key role in LIXIL’s governance reform, enhancing oversight and contributing to strategic guidance. Yuji Nishiura, currently serving as Outside Director and the Chairperson of the Nomination Committee, is proposed  to assume the position of Chairperson of the Board. This appointment will be decided at the meeting of the Board of Directors following the resolution of the AGM. 

In addition to the appointment of Mariko Fujita as Executive Officer and CFO,  LIXIL's Board of Directors also resolved to retain the current seven Executive Officers, ensuring sustained leadership. CEO Kinya Seto and Chief People Officer Jin Montesano will continue to serve as Representative Executive Officers from April 1.

Further information on the selection of Director candidates and Executive Officers can be found in LIXIL’s timely disclosure here.

Corporate Officers
LIXIL's leadership structure is designed to drive our strategic vision forward, consisting of a President and two tiers of Corporate Officers: Executive Vice Presidents (EVPs) and Senior Vice Presidents (SVPs). EVPs and SVPs are instrumental in implementing and advancing the company's strategies.

Hanseul Kim, SVP and Leader of the Corporate Transformation Office (CTO), has been promoted to the role of EVP. In addition, Masayoshi Kubo, Leader of the Bathroom Division at LIXIL Water Technology Japan (LWTJ), will be newly appointed as SVP.

Alongside these new appointments, LIXIL will reappoint its current EVPs as well as 19 SVPs, recognizing their dedication and dynamic leadership.

These leadership appointments represent the company’s continued focus on empowering highly skilled and specialized talent to take on larger roles and establishing a global diverse leadership team.

For information regarding current Directors and Executive Officers, please see the website.

See FYE 2025 List of LIXIL Executive Vice Presidents (EVPs) and Senior Vice Presidents (SVPs) here.