The nomination of Koei Tecmo chair Keiko Erikawa to SoftBank Group's board adds a veteran games industry executive known for her stock-picking skill, bringing an authoritative voice after the loss of senior industry figures.
Erikawa, 72, who with CEO husband Yoichi is the executive team behind the"Romance of the Three Kingdoms" series, has had a long relationship SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son, referring to him as"Son-chan" in a 2016 inteview, using a suffix showing affection."Erikawa is not the sort of person who would hesitate to express her views to Son. She speaks plainly," said Hideki Yasuda, an analyst at Ace Research Institute.
That follows a shift by the 63-year-old Son from operating companies to pure investing. The change is seen as suiting Erikawa, who in addition to her management chops has built a reputation for savvy investing in tech stocks. A COVID-19 pandemic induced slump in portfolio company valuations last year saw a period of alignment between SoftBank and investors calling for change, with the group launching a US$23 billion share buyback and reforming the board's structure.
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