Showa Denko (SDK) (TOKYO:4004) announces that Hideo Ichikawa will resign as President and CEO to become Representative Director and Chairman of the Board, of the Company, and that kohei Morikawa, Director, Managing Corporate Office, and Chief Technology Officer, will succeed Ichikawa, effective January 4, 2017.

Morikawa is currently in charge of Electronic Chemicals and Functional Chemicals divisions, Business Development Center, Isesaki and Tatsuno plants, and Corporate R&D Department.

The change in the presidency has been decided at SDK’s board of directors meeting today.

Through generational change in top management, SDK aims to vitalize the organization and pursue further growth opportunities from a new viewpoint.

Kyohei Takahashi will resign as Chairman of the Board on January 4, 2017. He will also resign as Director at the ordinary general meeting of shareholders in late March 2017, and assume the post of Advisor.