Posted on 06 Feb 2024
JFE Holdings will name Yoshihisa Kitano, the head of its steel business, as group president effective April 1 as Japan's second-largest steelmaker seeks to boost profitability and accelerate a shift to low-emissions production, Nikkei has learned.
JFE Steel Vice President Masayuki Hirose will be promoted to lead the steel business, replacing Kitano.
The 65-year-old Kitano comes from a technical background and has extensive field experience.
He promoted decarbonization efforts as head of JFE Steel, announcing plans in 2022 to explore converting a coke-fired blast furnace in Japan to an electric arc furnace and focusing on sales of "green steel," which produces fewer carbon dioxide emissions.
Kitano also worked to bring digital technology into steelmaking to improve production efficiency and stability.
JFE Steel President Yoshihisa Kitano, right, will become president of JFE Holdings. Masayuki Hirose, left, will replace Kitano as head of JFE Steel. (JFE Steel)
Kitano and Hirose both began their careers at Kawasaki Steel, which merged with NKK in 2003 to form JFE.
Hirose long worked at JFE group headquarters. His background includes developing the group's decarbonization strategy as an executive in corporate planning.
The current JFE Holdings president, Koji Kakigi, took office in April 2019. He promoted a shift from quantity to quality in steel sales and helped raise the profitability of the group along with the engineering and trading businesses.
Source:Nikkei Asia
