Sharp Corporation has named Tetsuji (Ted) Kawamura as the next president and CEO of Sharp, effective April 1, 2026. Kawamura is well known to U.S. partners through his many years of working in the United States. He had numerous roles in the B2B organization before taking on other global assignments. Ted returned to Sharp Electronics Corporation (SEC) as chairman from 2017 to 2021.
Press release from the issuing company:
Sharp Corporation (hereinafter “Sharp”) made a decision at its board members’ meeting today, March 19, 2026, regarding the executive personnel changes to be made as of April 1, 2026, and the tentative decision based on transfer of Representative Director based on the resolution of the 132nd Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders and the following board members’ meeting, both scheduled in June 2026.
Transfer of Executive Personnel (as of April 1, 2026)
- Masahiro Okitsu to representative director, deputy chairman (current title: representative director, president CEO)
- Tetsuji Kawamura to president CEO (current title: senior executive managing officer, chief business development officer)
Okitsu is scheduled to retire from director due to end of term as of the end of 132nd Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders to be held in June 2026.
Kawamura is scheduled to be appointed as representative director by resolution of the 132nd Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders and board members’ meeting to be held in June 2026.
Reason of Transfer
In its FY2025-2027 Medium-Term Management Plan announced on May 12, 2025, Sharp committed to accelerate “Global Expansion” and “Business Transformation” of Brand Business, establish a “Foundation for sustainable business growth”, and “Reinforce management capabilities” to drive the growth as its three key initiatives to enhance competitiveness and improve financial foundation and move forward to regrowth. Ever since, its business results have maintained a steady performance, and financial bases have improved at a faster rate than initially expected.
Additionally, its Asset-light strategy in Devices business over the past two years has reached a certain boundary with the orientation of structural reform in Display Device Business announced this February. With these actions over the past two years, Sharp has secured a foundation for regrowth. In order to secure sustainable growth over the mid to long term, Sharp will further strengthen the global expansion of its existing Brand Business, while simultaneously undertaking the full‑scale establishment and development of new businesses that will support the company’s future evolution and accelerate its overall growing speed.
Under such circumstances, after considering an optimum business management structure for secure and swift promotion of future growth strategy, it concluded that Tetsuji Kawamura is appropriate as president CEO. Kawamura possesses extensive global business expertise through his roles representing Sharp’s European controlling company and U.S. sales company, as well as leading the Smart Office and Smart Business Solutions businesses. He currently oversees new business development.
Okitsu will assume the position of deputy chairman to continue to contribute to enhancing the corporate value by leveraging the extensive experience he has cultivated over many years in the Brand Business, as well as the strong and long-standing relationships he has built with numerous business partners.
Biography of New Sharp Representative Director,
President CEO Tetsuji Kawamura
Date of Birth: November 10, 1961
Career:
April 1984: Joined the Company
October 2014: General Manager, European Marketing Operations; concurrently President, Sharp Electronics Europe (SEE)
September 2016: Chief Representative for Europe; concurrently President, SEE
August 2017: Chief Representative for the Americas; concurrently Chairman, Sharp Electronics Corporation (SEC), U.S. Sales Company
October 2021: General Manager, Digital Imaging Solutions Business Unit
April 2022: General Manager, Smart Business Solutions Business Unit
September 2022: Corporate Officer; General Manager, Smart Business Solutions Business Unit
July 2023: Corporate Officer in charge of the Smart Office Business; concurrently General Manager, Smart Business Solutions Business Unit
June 2024: Executive Managing Officer; Head, Smart Office Business Group; concurrently General Manager, Smart Business Solutions Business Unit
April 2025: Senior Executive Managing Officer, CBDO (Chief Business Development Officer) (present)
Number of shares owned: 1,629 shares
