At a board meeting held on December 19, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines resolved to make changes to its executive staff, primarily promoting Senior Managing Executive Officer Jotaro Tamura to President and Executive Officer.
<Tamura, the next president>
The appointments are scheduled to take effect on April 1, 2026, with Tsuyoshi Hashimoto, President and CEO, assuming the position of Chairman of the Board.
<Chairman and President Appointments>
In light of the significant changes in the business environment surrounding the shipping industry, a smooth transition to a management system that looks to the next generation is necessary to achieve the group's sustainable growth. Therefore, a new executive structure has been decided upon, including appointments of president and chairman, as well as the appointment of Senior Managing Executive Officer Takashi Umemura as Executive Vice President, and Representative Director and Senior Managing Executive Officer Kazuya Hamasaki as Representative Director and Executive Vice President.
<New Vice President Appointment>
Chairman Junichiro Ikeda will become a director on April 1, 2026, and will retire from his position as director at the conclusion of the ordinary general meeting of shareholders scheduled for June 25, and assume the position of special advisor. In addition, Chairman Hashimoto will become a non-representative director following the resolutions of the ordinary general meeting of shareholders and the subsequent board of directors meeting scheduled for June 25, 2026, and President Tamura and Vice President Umemura will assume the positions of representative directors.
At a press conference held on December 19, incoming President Tamura stated that he felt the significance and weight of responsibility of taking over from President Hashimoto at the time when the group management plan "BLUE ACTION 2035" is transitioning from "Phase 1" to "Phase 2." He emphasized that "Phase 2" will be a crucial period for translating the investments made so far into profits. He expressed his ambition to keep a close eye on the activities of the group companies, which are expanding globally, while utilizing his extensive experience working overseas.
■ New President's Profile
Name: Tamura Jotaro
to April 19, 1968
Graduated from Sophia University, Faculty of Letters (now Faculty of Human Sciences) in March 1991.
Joined Osaka Shosen Mitsui Steamship Co., Ltd. in April 1991.
April 1995: Seconded to Mitsui OSK Bulk Shipping (Europe).
(In April 1999, the company changed its name to Mitsui O.S.K. Lines following a merger with Navix Line.)
June 2001: Seconded to Mitsui OSK Lines (Asia)
August 2002: Seconded to MOL (Asia)
September 2009 MOL Liner Limited
October 2014: Group Leader, Automobile Ship Division
October 2017: Seconded to MOL (Europe Africa)
April 2018 Ocean Network Express (Europe) Managing Director, Region Head – Europe and Africa
April 2020, Head of Corporate Planning Department
April 2022: Senior Managing Executive Officer
April 2023: Senior Managing Executive Officer, Chief Strategy Officer
April 2024: Senior Managing Executive Officer, MOL (Asia Oceania) Managing Director
MOL PLUS makes its first investment in an Indian fund, targeting energy and other sectors.
