DeNA Announces New Executives

Mobile SNS sensation DeNA has announced the company founder and CEO will officially step aside at the end of June: http://bit.ly/lsv5HF

Fantastic job over these years Namba-san, we do hope you take care. Moriyasu-san.. Ganbare! [Eds]

DeNA Announces New Executives and Corporate Structure

DeNA announced that its board of directors has provisionally approved corporate changes, including the company founder Tomoko Namba’s retirement from her office as Representative Director, President and CEO. Namba will be succeeded by Isao Moriyasu, currently DeNA’s General Manager (GM) of Social Media Business Head Office and Chief Operating Officer (COO). Namba’s retirement will be effective as of the close of DeNA’s 13th annual shareholders meeting scheduled for June 25, 2011. Moriyasu’s appointment will be officially approved at the board of directors meeting, following the shareholder meeting.

“Isao Moriyasu has led Mobage, our highly successful core business, since its launch in 2006,” said Namba. “Moriyasu brings both technical insight and business strategy. He’s an accomplished man of action and the best candidate to steer DeNA going forward. I strongly believe he will be able to act quickly and decisively in this rapidly changing industry, to grow our billion-dollar company while making it truly global.”

DeNA’s founder Namba’s decision to step down as President and CEO is influenced by a family health issue, and she will continue to play a major role in DeNA’s management as a key member of the board of directors and as an advisor. As such, she will be involved with both internal management counsel and business strategies. Under Namba’s leadership, DeNA has evolved from a startup to a public company; its sales and profits have steadily increased for seven consecutive fiscal years since its listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in February 2005.