On 5 April 2021, Canon India announced Manabu Yamazaki’s appointment as its new president and CEO effective 1 April 2021. Yamazaki takes over from Kazutada Kobayashi, who led Canon India for the past nine years.
In his new role, Yamazaki will be spearheading Canon’s business strategy and operations in India. His previous posting was as the chief regional officer for Canon in Eastern China, which also entailed overseeing various APAC region functions. He has been associated with Canon since 1989 and acknowledged by the company as a contributor to its business management across the European, Middle Eastern, Russian, and African markets.
Commenting on his appointment, Yamazaki said, “I am delighted and excited to join Canon India and to work closely with a team of highly skilled professionals here. As a vibrant nation, India is brimming with entrepreneurship and holds vast potential for exploring newer creative avenues. We, at Canon, are fully committed to the Indian market, and I am looking forward to building on Canon’s track record of success and innovation and continuing to deliver value and delight to all stakeholders. Considering the vast reach and diversity, we will continue with our endeavor of expanding product propositions and presence across different parts of the country.”
Yamazaki, who has worn multiple hats throughout his career, will oversee the strategic operations of Canon India. He is expected to strengthen the existing core businesses and bolster its imaging expertise in newer areas.
Canon adapted to changing customer needs during the pandemic and took its customer service to the next level. The company’s press release asserts that it successfully weathered the storm caused by the pandemic. It states that the company has constantly been adding new products to its portfolio and has expanded its regional outlets in the past year.
The Canon group employs somewhere near 200,000 employees across the world. (The press release gives a figure of 197776 employees as of 31 December 2017.) Canon India Pvt Ltd, set up in 1997, is a 100% subsidiary of Canon Singapore Pvt Ltd that markets over 200 digital products. Canon India has offices and warehouses in 14 cities with 1,000 employees and 850 channel partners. It also operates 250 retails stores for its camera products.
