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Septeni Holdings Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Koki Sato; Security Code: 4293) has set a medium-term management policy of "domain expansion," and has worked to expand existing businesses and into new business segments and strengthen its management infrastructure, such as building an advanced governance system. In response to the recommendations of the Nomination and Remuneration Advisory Committee, which has been discussing succession plans to realize sustainable growth, the Board of Directors meeting today has passed a resolution on a new Group executive officer structure leading the Septeni Group.

1. Background to Management Structure Reform

Since its founding in 1990, the Septeni Group has continued to grow while transforming its mainstay business from recruitment consulting to DM business, and then to Digital Marketing Business. Since joining the Company as a new graduate, Sato, the current Representative Director, Group President and Chief Executive Officer, has demonstrated entrepreneurship by, for example, launching the Digital Marketing Business and the IP Platform Business. In addition to working to expand the Company's business, he has been driving the improvement of corporate value as a representative director since 2009.

In 2022, the Company revised its Group Philosophy in response to changes in the social and business environment, as well as changes in the Company's corporate structure and scale. It established a new vision consisting of three clauses for the first time in about 20 years: "To be a place where people are empowered to create a new era/ To open the door to a "nameraka" future with creativity and technology/ To make a complex world bright and simple through the power of digital."

The renewal of the Group executive officer structure aims to achieve the new vision and sustainable growth of the Group through the succession of management to a new generation and to people who will create a new era. The Company will make efforts to further increase the corporate value of the Septeni Group by building and promoting a new collective leadership system centered on Kouno, who will be newly appointed as Group President and Chief Executive Officer.

The Company has also established the Nomination and Remuneration Advisory Committee as a voluntary committee to the Board of Directors with the aim of building an advanced governance system. The Committee is chaired by an outside director and consists of a majority of outside directors, and continued discussions on succession plans and the selection of next-generation management personnel, while ensuring independence, objectivity, and accountability in the deliberation process, have enabled the Company to reform its management structure.

2. New Group Executive Officer Structure (As of April 1, 2024)

Under the new Group executive officer structure, Yuichi Kouno serves as the Representative Director, Group President and Chief Executive Officer, Yusuke Shimizu serves as the Director, Group Executive Vice President and Executive Officer, and Isamu Ueno serves as the Group Executive Vice President and Executive Officer. A new position of Executive Vice President will be established to shift to a collective leadership system and further strengthen the management structure.

Under the new structure, while aiming for continuous business growth through business portfolio management, the Company will strengthen its focus on the Digital Marketing Business, which is its core business, to reorganize within the Group and create synergies among businesses.

Koki Sato, the current Representative Director, Group President and Chief Executive Officer, is scheduled to resign as a director of the Company following the conclusion of the Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders to be held in March 2024. In the future, however, Sato will continue to drive the growth of IP Platform Business as a representative director of COMICSMART INC.

By building a management structure that can respond quickly to changes in the business environment, the Company aims to achieve sustainable growth and increase its corporate value for the Group.

3. Resignation of Group Executive Officers
Four Group Executive Officers who will step down from the current positions are as follows. (As of March 31, 2024)

Matsuda, the current Group Senior Executive Officer, as the representative director of Septeni Incubate, Inc., and Setoguchi and Fukunishi, the current Group Executive Officers, as the directors of COMICSMART INC., will continue to make efforts to grow the Group's business.

■ Comments from Yuichi Kouno Following the Appointment of the Group President and Chief Executive Officer

I am scheduled to assume the role of Group President and Chief Executive Officer of the Septeni Holdings Co., Ltd. on April 1, 2024. Since joining the Company, I have devoted myself to expanding the Group's business, focusing on the Digital Marketing Business.

The Digital Marketing Business, our core business, has experienced various changes in the business environment. In particular, the acceleration of DX following the recent COVID-19 was a major change and trigger. The rapid progress of digitalization in lifestyles, consumer behavior, working styles, and other areas has led to the demand for digitalization at every starting point in society, and the demand for digital marketing is growing ever more.

I am very honored to receive a baton from Sato in such an era and be able to contribute to the growth of the Group with a new management team. With the Group's mission and vision as a guide, we will work together as a team to further enhance the corporate value of the Group.

■ Inquiry about press release:
Septeni Holdings Co., Ltd., Public Relations Division, Kofunato & Onuma
E-mail: koho@septeni-holdings.co.jp

■ Profile of Septeni Holdings Co., Ltd.
Business: Holding company to manage group companies which mainly develop the Internet businesses.
Head office address: Sumitomo Fudosan Shinjuku Grand Tower 30F, 8-17-1
Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Representative: Representative Director, Koki Sato
URL: https://www.septeni-holdings.co.jp/en/