Shiseido names Kentaro Fujiwara as next CEO

He will succeed Masahiko Uotani, who will retire as chairman and CEO.

Shiseido Group has announced that Kentaro Fujiwara will take over as its CEO, effective 1 January 2025. 

The transition follows the planned retirement of the current chairman and CEO, Masahiko Uotani.

Starting 1 January 2025, Uotani will transition to the role of senior adviser for Shiseido Group, where he will provide strategic advice, support talent development, and engage in external relations as requested by the management team, according to an official statement from the company.

Uotani's retirement as a director will be finalised after the ordinary general meeting of shareholders scheduled for the end of March 2025. 

The leadership transition is part of the five-year CEO succession plan strategy initiated by Shiseido in 2019.

Fujiwara, who has been the president and COO since his appointment on 10 November 2022, has been working alongside Uotani to ensure a smooth transition.