San-e Ichii has been appointed president and CEO of Tokyo-based EMI Music Japan effective Oct. 1, replacing Shoji Doyama, who left the company June 30.
Ichii, previously senior managing director and chief financial officer at Tokyo-based Warner Music Japan, will report to Adrian Cheesley, president of EMI Music Asia Pacific/Latin America.
He has spent a large part of his career outside the music industry. He became CFO of the Japanese subsidiary of U.S. food manufacturer Kraft in 1988, later moving to global healthcare company Baxter Limited, where he was general manager, business development. Ichii joined Warner Music Japan as director and CFO in 2002.
“I am delighted to welcome San-e Ichii as the new leader of EMI Music’s Japanese business,” said Cheesley in a statement. “His experience, passion and leadership skills will be invaluable to EMI Music’s development and success in the major music market of Japan.”
Said Ichii in a statement: “EMI is an established and attractive brand with a rich history of developing great artists and recordings both from Japan and from all over the world.
“At this moment of great global change in the music industry, the company remains committed to its goal of bringing music to as many consumers as possible in all the ways they want. I am honored to be leading the EMI Music Japan team and I look forward to working with the wonderful artists, managers and employees associated with this great company.”
EMI also announced Sept. 30 that Masato Adachi, who at one time was EMI Music Japan’s CFO, will return to EMI Music Japan as director and chief financial officer effective Oct. 1. Adachi, who will report to Ichii, joins EMI from Nike Japan, where he was most recently CFO.
