Nintendo has announced that current president, Tatsumi Kimishima (68), is stepping down, and 48-year old, Shuntaro Furukawa, will be taking his place. According to the Nikkei, Tatsumi Kimishima will remain at Nintendo as a consultant.
Shuntaro Furukawa has been a part of Nintendo since 1994 and has been the outside director of the Pokémon Company since 2012. He most recently held the titles of Managing Executive Officer, Supervisor of Corporate Analysis & Administration Division, and Director of Nintendo, since 2016. The Nikkei reports that he worked on the Nintendo Switch launch, and has been at the Nintendo of Europe headquarters in Germany for about 10 years.
Tatsumi Kimishima stepped into the role of president after the death of former president Iwata Satoru. In his role as President, Tatsumi Kimishima has seen to the launch of the Nintendo Switch, and improved the overall financial forecast for Nintendo, ensuring it is a major player within the gaming and hardware space.
Mr. Kimishima, according to the Nikkei, has been looking to see a new generation take on his role at Nintendo, where he believes a young man will help bring the company closer to the core game purchaser.
The timing of this change in leadership fits with the recent trend of the company. With the Nintendo Switch currently on a winning streak with major publishers pushing their games onto the platform (most recently Ubisoft with South Park: The Fractured But Whole), this is the ideal time to try new ideas and new leadership. This also shows the new direction of Nintendo, promoting more members in their 40’s to executive positions.
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