Currently, Obe is chairman and CEO of Sysmex America, Inc. John Kershaw, who is presently serving as president and chief operating officer (COO) of Sysmex America, will be promoted to president and CEO of Sysmex America, Inc. and head of the Americas Region, which includes North America, Central America and Latin America. Kershaw will report directly to Kazuya Obe. Sysmex corporate director of international marketing, Tak Ono, will transfer to Sysmex America to serve as its vice president of business planning.
Sysmex Corporate European subsidiary, Sysmex Europe GMBH will operate under the leadership of Masahide Azuma, who is being inaugurated as chairman of the board of Sysmex Europe GMBH. He also will assume a new role as Sysmex Corporation’s representative and will report directly to Kazuya Obe. Currently, Azuma is chairman and CEO of Sysmex Europe GMBH. Michael Schaefer, the current president and COO of Sysmex Europe GMBH, will be promoted to president and CEO of Sysmex Europe GMBH and the operational head of the European Region. Schaefer will report to Masahide Azuma.
Other direct reports to Kazuya Obe will include Frank Buescher, president and CEO, Sysmex Asia Pacific PTE LTD and head of the Asian Pacific Region; and Yutaka Higuchi, chairman of Sysmex Shanghai and head of Chinese Region.