Tokyo, June 29, 2010 -- JCB Co., Ltd. (JCB), the brand holder of the JCB international payment brand, today announced the appointment of Takao Kawanishi as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at its shareholders' meeting in Tokyo held on June 28, 2010 with immediate effect. Mr. Kawanishi succeeds Tamio Takakura, who had served as JCB's President and CEO for the past 3 years. Mr. Takakura continues to serve JCB as the company's Chairman.



Mr. Kawanishi joined JCB in an advisory capacity in May 2010 from the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd., where he served as Deputy President since April 2008. He has an in-depth expertise and broad experience gained in his 38 years in the banking industry, starting with the Sanwa Bank, Limited, followed by UFJ Holdings, Inc., UFJ Bank, Ltd., and the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd. Before joining JCB, Mr. Kawanishi held a number of senior management roles including Managing Director since 2006, Senior Managing Director since 2007, and the most recent responsibility as Deputy President in the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd.



JCB International Co., Ltd. (JCBI) also announced the appointment of Mr. Kawanishi as Vice Chairman at its shareholders' meeting held today effective immediately. Mr. Tamio Takakura, Chairman and CEO, and Mr. Koremitsu Sannomiya, President and Chief Operating Officer, will both remain in their current roles.



JCBI, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a wholly owned subsidiary of JCB Co., Ltd. also headquartered in Tokyo, Japan's only international credit card brand holder. Aiming to expand the distribution of JCB cards and card acceptance globally, JCB established JCBI in 1981 to carry out operations related to the JCB brand, cards, and merchants outside Japan. JCB Co., Ltd. is a major issuer of JCB cards and acquirer of JCB merchants as well as the brand holder. Under the leadership of the strong management team including Mr. Takakura, the newly named Mr. Kawanishi, and Mr. Sannomiya, JCBI, together with JCB Co., Ltd., continues to strengthen the JCB cardmenber base and card acceptance globally by enhancing alliances with partner banks, corporations, and institutions worldwide.

• Date of Birth: November 23, 1948


• March 1972: Graduated from Kyoto University, Faculty of economics, Bachelors Degree


• April 1972: Joined The Sanwa Bank, Ltd.


• June 1994: Appointed as General Manager of Hongo Branch


• June 1999: Appointed as Executive Officer and General Manager of Nagoya Branch


• April 2001: Appointed as Executive Officer and General Manager of Human Resources Department of UFJ Holdings, Inc.


• January 2002: Appointed as Senior Executive Officer of Human Resources Department and General Affairs & Premises Department of UFJ Bank Ltd.


• May 2003: Appointed as Senior Executive Officer of Human Resources Department and General Affairs & Premises Department


• May 2004: Appointed as Representative Director, Senior Executive Officer and Deputy Head of Corporate Banking Division


• January 2006: Appointed as Managing Director of The Bank of Tokyo-Mitubishi UFJ, Ltd.


• October 2007: Appointed as Senior Managing Director


• April 2008: Appointed as Deputy President of The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd., and Senior Executive Officer of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc.


• May 2010: Joined JCB Co., Ltd (JCB) as adviser.


• June 2010: Appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer of JCB, also appointed as Vice Chairman of JCB International Co., Ltd., a JCB subsidiary.