Shoji Takahashi to head Shiseido’s U.S. subsidiary

NEW YORK Cosmetics company Shiseido, which originated in 1872 as a Western-style pharmacy along the Ginza in Japan, has appointed Shoji Takahashi as chairman and chief executive officer of Shiseido Americas Corp., the U.S. subsidiary of the company.

Takahashi succeeds Shuichi Tanaka, who has been with the company for 35 years most recently as chairman and chief executive of Shiseido International Corp. Tanaka will retire at the end of July.

Takahaski joined Shiseido in April 1981 after graduation from Tokyo’s Keio University. The early years of his career were devoted to manufacturing, technical, and research and development areas. He later extended his expertise via positions in Shiseido’s corporate planning, international planning and international product marketing departments. In April 2004, he was appointed general manager of the International Planning Department at the Tokyo headquarters. In January 2007, he was appointed general manager of the International Product Marketing Department. Then in April 2008, Takahashi was appointed a corporate officer for Shiseido Co.

His appointment to Shiseido Americas Corp. comes concurrent with a structural consolidation of the business operations of the U.S. subsidiary. In his new role, he will oversee the corporate division and four business divisions: Shiseido Cosmetics America, Beaute Prestige International USA, Nars Cosmetics and JV Fragrances and Skincare.