Yasuyuki Higuchi, former president of Daiei Inc., on Monday took the newly created post of chief operating officer at the Japanese unit of Microsoft Corp., joining hands with its President and CEO Darren Huston.
Higuchi, 49, will be in charge of Microsoft Co. affairs dealing with corporations and public institutions, while Huston will mainly focus on consumer businesses.
At a news conference in Tokyo, Huston denied media reports that he is leaving Japan to yield his position to Higuchi, saying he will stay in Japan at least for the next fiscal year.
However, Huston said Higuchi will likely succeed him, without specifying when, citing Higuchi's wide range of experience at foreign IT companies and domestic companies, as well as his leadership abilities.
"We needed another leader at Microsoft Japan. One single leader to lead Microsoft Japan is tough," Huston said, adding that Microsoft's business is growing increasingly broad and complex.
After serving as president at Hewlett-Packard Japan Ltd., Higuchi became president of Daiei in May 2005. The supermarket chain operator was rehabilitating its business under the leadership of the Industrial Revitalization Corp. of Japan. He helped close unprofitable outlets and revive sales in the food divisions.