Kadokawa CEO Takeshi Natsuno Survives Shareholder Vote to Oust Him
The vote shows that Kadokawa's board and majority of shareholders backed Natsuno's reform agenda over the demands of the company's largest shareholder, Oasis Management.
Reporting from 1 source: Anime News Network.
Kadokawa CEO Takeshi Natsuno retained his positions as CEO and board member after receiving enough votes at the company's 12th annual general meeting on Wednesday. Oasis Management, Kadokawa's largest shareholder with a 15.25% stake, had called for his removal, citing declining profitability since 2021. Kadokawa argued that removing Natsuno without a successor would disrupt reform efforts.
Oasis Management Company Ltd., which became Kadokawa's largest shareholder in March with a 15.25% stake, had urged shareholders to vote out Takeshi Natsuno at the July 9 annual meeting. The asset manager pointed to Kadokawa's declining profitability under Natsuno's leadership since 2021. Kadokawa responded in June by arguing that removing Natsuno without a specific successor or alternative plan would create significant uncertainty for the company's ongoing reforms and management stability.
Natsuno survived the vote, retaining both his CEO role and his seat on the board of directors. The result means Kadokawa's Medium-Term Management Plan, which Natsuno has championed, continues without the disruption that a leadership change would have caused. Oasis's defeat does not end the pressure on Natsuno, but it gives him a clear mandate to proceed with the current strategy.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- Anime News Network News Kadokawa CEO Takeshi Natsuno Retains Positions After Shareholder Vote