Recently, KOSÉ Corporation has announced a major leadership change, marking the first time in its history that the company will be led by a president from outside the founding family.
Effective March 27, 2026, Koichi Shibusawa, currently Executive Director, will assume the role of President and Group Chief Operating Officer (COO). He will succeed Kazutoshi Kobayashi, who will step into the position of Chairman and Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Since joining KOSÉ, Shibusawa has held key roles across the company’s domestic and international operations. He began his career in Japan’s sales and marketing divisions before serving as President of KOSÉ’s China subsidiary, where he gained extensive management experience in both Japan and overseas markets.
As head of the Corporate Strategy Department, he played a leading role in defining KOSÉ Group’s medium- and long-term strategies and establishing its management control systems. Shibusawa has also overseen accounting, finance, administration, legal affairs, human resources, and quality assurance, while advancing corporate governance, compliance, and risk management frameworks. With his deep operational expertise and proven leadership, he is expected to drive further growth and strengthen the group’s corporate value under KOSÉ’s new holding company structure.
Kobayashi, who has served as President and CEO for nearly two decades, has been instrumental in reshaping KOSÉ’s brand portfolio, reinforcing its product development and manufacturing capabilities, and expanding its international footprint.
Regarding the appointment, Mr. Kobayashi said: “As Group Chief Executive Officer, I will continue to bear ultimate management responsibility. However, there are many matters at the forefront of business execution that require my time and attention. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, opportunities for overseas travel have been significantly reduced. To achieve global growth, I would like to dedicate more time to mergers and acquisitions, business alliances, and overseas market research. As for day-to-day business execution, I will entrust those responsibilities to Mr. Shibusawa, while I, as the helmsman, will focus on strengthening our collaboration.”
