Kubota appoints Hanada as new president and CEO, Kitao to become chairman

Kubota Corporation announced Shingo Hanada's appointment as the new president and representative director, and CEO, effective January 1, 2026. Current president and representative director Yuichi Kitao will transition to chairman and representative director on the same date. This decision, made at a board meeting on October 22, 2025, aligns with Kubota's long-term vision to address societal challenges in food, water, and environmental sectors, with Hanada set to lead the next medium-term management plan starting in 2026.

Hanada, currently representative director and executive vice president, will assume his new roles following a career at Kubota since 1989. His extensive experience includes leadership positions in tractor and general-purpose businesses, as well as roles as president of Kubota Holdings Europe B.V. and Kubota North America Corporation. He holds 25,398 shares of Kubota stock as of October 22, 2025, and graduated from Tohoku University with a degree in Law in March 1989.

The company also announced additional executive and director changes. Nobushige Ichikawa, Takanobu Azuma, and Wataru Kondo will be newly nominated as senior managing executive officers. Several current directors, including Hiroto Kimura, Masato Yoshikawa, Dai Watanabe, and Eiji Yoshioka, will retire from their director roles in March 2026 and become advisors. Five outside director candidates, Yutaro Shintaku, Kumi Arakane, Koichi Kawana, Yuri Furusawa, and Yoshinori Yamashita, are proposed for reappointment.