Masayuki Higuchi named President & CEO and Naohiro Fujitani named Chairman
BOTHELL, WA., July 9, 2015 – FUJIFILM SonoSite Inc., specialists in designing cutting-edge ultrasound tools and world-leading education for access to point-of-care visualization, today announced changes in its executive leadership, effective July 1, 2015: Naohiro Fujitani was named Chairman; and Masayuki Higuchi was named President and CEO, succeeding Mr. Fujitani in this position. Both Mr. Fujitani and Mr. Higuchi have also been appointed to the FUJIFILM SonoSite, Inc. Board of Directors.
“Mr. Higuchi brings with him many years of leadership experience, with career highlights including his service as chief financial officer for both FUJIFILM SonoSite and FUJIFILM Holdings America Corporation. “His broad experience and proven success record will be a tremendous asset to Fujifilm,” said Naohiro Fujitani, Chairman of FUJIFILM SonoSite, Inc.
Most recently, Mr. Higuchi was Chief Financial Officer at FUJIFILM SonoSite. Prior to his position at FUJIFILM SonoSite, he was General Manager of Corporate Planning for FUJIFILM Corporation in Tokyo, Japan where he was responsible for strategic planning, subsidiary management and mergers and acquisitions. Before that, he held various positions within FUJIFILM Holdings America Corporation, including Chief Financial Officer.
“It is an honor to lead FUJIFILM SonoSite at this time of tremendous opportunity,” said Masayuki Higuchi, president and CEO of FUJIFILM SonoSite, Inc. “I am committed to expanding Fujifilm’s position as a world leader in point-of-care ultrasound and to drive solutions that will meet the needs of our customers.”
In his new position, Mr. Higuchi will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the management of the company globally, including sales, service, marketing and operations.
With forty years of experience at Fujifilm, Naohiro Fujitani is a knowledgeable and experienced global leader who has spearheaded many business initiatives for the company. He has held positions of increasing responsibility, gaining experience in diverse functional areas such as sales, marketing, new product planning, new business development, and he has served as a company leader. He intends to apply his experience and accomplishments – including the planning and introduction of a variety of innovative new products and businesses – to his new assignment as Chairman of FUJIFILM SonoSite, Inc.
About Fujifilm
FUJIFILM SonoSite, Inc. is the innovator and world leader in bedside and point-of-care ultrasound, and an industry leader in ultra high-frequency micro-ultrasound technology. Headquartered near Seattle, the company is represented by 26 subsidiaries and a global distribution network in over 100 countries. SonoSite’s portable, compact systems are expanding the use of ultrasound across the clinical spectrum by cost-effectively bringing high-performance ultrasound to the point of patient care. For more information, go to: www.sonosite.com.
FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation, Tokyo, Japan brings continuous innovation and leading-edge products to a broad spectrum of industries, including: healthcare, with medical systems, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics; graphic systems; highly functional materials, such as flat panel display materials; optical devices, such as broadcast and cinema lenses; digital imaging; and document products. These are based on a vast portfolio of chemical, mechanical, optical, electronic, software and production technologies. In the year ended March 31, 2015, the company had global revenues of $20.8 billion, at an exchange rate of 120 yen to the dollar. Fujifilm is committed to environmental stewardship and good corporate citizenship. For more information, please visit: www.fujifilmholdings.com.
