Hitoshi Kawahara steps up to new role as Japan President and COO
Eiji Uda will continue to serve the company as Executive Advisor and play a key role with strategic alliances and global accounts in Japan
Salesforce.com aims to grow Japan operations into a $1 billion business with more than 2,000 employees
SAN FRANCISCO and TOKYO—April 15, 2014—Salesforce.com (NYSE: CRM), the world’s #1 CRM platform, today announced it is expanding its Japan leadership team with the appointment of former HP Japan head Shinichi Koide as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of its Japan operations. Koide will be responsible for growing salesforce.com Japan into a $1 billion business with more than 2,000 employees.
Hitoshi Kawahara, Senior Vice President and head of enterprise sales at salesforce.com Japan, will step up to a new role as President and Chief Operating Officer. In this role, Kawahara will lead the company’s enterprise sales and distribution teams and oversee business operations.
Eiji Uda, who has led growth for salesforce.com Japan for the last 10 years as President and Chief Executive Officer, will continue to serve the company as Executive Advisor and play a key role with strategic alliances and global accounts in Japan.
Comments on the News
? “Our dream is to build salesforce.com Japan into a billion dollar business with more than two thousand employees,” said Keith Block, president and vice chairman, salesforce.com. “With Shinichi Koide joining our exceptional Japan leadership team, salesforce.com Japan is well-positioned to deliver on its next decade of growth.”
? “Customer success will be my main focus at salesforce.com,” said Shinichi Koide, chairman and CEO, salesforce.com Japan. “Ensuring the success of our customers through innovation and growth delivered by the best people in the industry will be the key to salesforce.com’s ongoing success in Japan.”
Background on Shinichi Koide
? Prior to joining salesforce.com, Koide spent seven years at HP Japan, where he led the company’s hardware, software and services businesses, as well as all operations.
? Koide began his career at IBM Japan in 1981, leading its hardware, outsourcing, technical services and financial services businesses, and serving as a Board Member from 2002.
? Following 25 years at IBM Japan, Koide served as EVP and COO at SoftBank Telecom.
? Koide holds a degree in economics from Aoyama Gakuin University.
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