Alex Kawamura - incoming OKI Data A/NZ managing director
OKI Data has appointed its former Japanese domestic sales manager of sales and marketing, Alex Kawamura, as its new managing director for Australia and New Zealand.
Kawamura replaces the Japan-headquartered printer and multifunction device vendor's outgoing managing director for A/NZ, Kazuo “Dennie” Kawahara, who was originally appointed to the role more than five years ago.
Kawahara will now become managing director of OKI Data Europe, based in London.
Based in Sydney, Kawamura will be responsible for propelling the company’s sales, marketing, account management, services and partner channel strategy as well as ensuring overall customer experience success.
“We are delighted that Alex has agreed to join OKI Data Australia as managing director for Australia and New Zealand,” OKI Data Australia national sales manager, Greg Mikaelian, said.
“His skillset and experience of working in both emerging and mature market economies will build on the momentum achieved by Dennie Kazuo Kawahara and will be invaluable as we continue to drive our revenue growth and establish OKI as a leading player in the business printers and multifunction business printer market,” he said.
Kawamura originally joined OKI Data Corporation 14 years and has since held a variety of senior executive positions with the company across the world, specialising in project, partner and account management.
He has managed OKI’s product development and business division for North and South America and Japan, and was also general manager of supply chain management and business planning for OKI Data Americas.
The move comes after fellow print and multifunction device player, Fuji Xerox, appointed its former corporate vice president, Hirokazu Komaki, as chairman of the board for its Australian business, in a bid to increase Japan’s oversight of the local operation in the wake of the company’s “inappropriate” accounting scandal.
In late September, Fuji Xerox New Zealand revealed it had appointed a new managing director and chair in the wake of its international accounting scandal.
The company promoted Peter Thomas, a former banker and CIO of the Defence Force, to the role of managing director and created a new position of chairman of the board, filled by Haruhiko Imai, both effective October 1.
