Reasons for Selection as Independent Directors
Reasons for Selection as Independent Directors and Relationship with the Company
Source: Annual Securities Report released on March 28, 2025 (available in Japanese only)
| Hisashi Hara | With a career of over 40 years as an attorney, Hisashi Hara has been involved in numerous cross-border M&A deals and has assisted in various corporate legal matters. In 2011, he received the Chambers Asia-Pacific Lifetime Achievement Award from Chambers and Partners, which is just one of many commendations in recognition of his good reputation as an attorney involved in cross-border M&A deals. From a wide range of perspectives as an attorney, he offered appropriate and objective opinions and advice to management team in various discussions at the Board of Directors regarding M&A deals, corporate governance, and other matters, aiming for the realization of the management strategy. In addition, from 2020, he has led the nominating process for the composition of the Board of Directors and the executive structure as Nominating Committee Chairperson. The Nominating Committee of the Company has again nominated him as a candidate for Outside Director since he is expected to continue to effectively strengthen the decision making and the supervisory function of the Board of Directors. |
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| Andrew Larke | Andrew Larke has been involved in mergers, acquisitions, and divestments, as well as corporate advisory for approximately 30 years, including head of acquisitions for Orica, the largest producer of mining explosives in the world. He has also held the position of Non-Executive Director of DuluxGroup (then a listed company on the Australian Stock Exchange, now a subsidiary of the Company) since 2010, and has extensive insight into the global chemicals and coatings industry. Additionally, he also serves as Chairman of Ixom Holdings, a leading Oceania-based chemicals company, and as Independent Chairman of L1 Long Short Fund, a long short fund on the Australian Stock Exchange. The Nominating Committee of the Company has nominated him as a candidate for Outside Director since his advice based on his deep industry experience and knowledge of chemicals and coatings, as well as his extensive experience in capital markets including M&A, is expected to effectively strengthen the decision making and the supervisory functions of the Board of Directors. |
| Lim Hwee Hua | Lim Hwee Hua held several important positions of the Parliament and ministerial positions after being elected to the Parliament of Singapore. Prior to joining the Singapore Cabinet, she served as Managing Director at Temasek Holdings, an investment company owned by the Singapore Government, where she conducted restructuring and sat on the boards of key investee companies, and established strategic relations with key foreign counterparts. She has engaged in private equity and investment activity for firms such as Kohlberg Kravis Roberts. Based on her broad network and her abundant insight and experience in investment and stewardship, she has fulfilled her responsibilities by providing pertinent advice on business strategy and execution relating to investment projects while bringing up investment themes at the Board of Directors meetings. Moreover, serving as Compensation Committee Chairperson from 2023, she has led the executive compensation decision process that contributed to Maximization of Shareholder Value. The Nominating Committee of the Company has again nominated her as a candidate for Outside Director since she is expected to continue to effectively strengthen the decision making and the supervisory function of the Board of Directors. |
| Masataka Mitsuhashi | Masataka Mitsuhashi has many years of experience as a certified public accountant at PwC Japan Group, where he was engaged in accounting audit and M&A-related activities. He also has extensive experience in long-term value creation for companies from ESG and sustainability perspectives as Representative Director of a consulting firm. Using his expert and global insight and experience concerning finance and accounting, ESG, sustainability and risk management, he provided opinions and appropriate advice to management team. Moreover, serving as Audit Committee Chairperson from 2020, he has led discussions with the Accounting Auditor and the local accounting auditors in charge of the financial auditing of overseas Partner Companies, while establishing the framework of “Audit on Audit,” and he made proposals to management team on strengthening group governance and other matters. The Nominating Committee of the Company has again nominated him as a candidate for Outside Director since he is expected to continue to effectively strengthen the decision making and the supervisory function of the Board of Directors. |
| Toshio Moroboshi | Toshio Morohoshi was formerly involved in the executive management of Fujitsu Limited, a global electronics company. He served as Japan CEO for multiple global IT enterprises and CEO of a public company in Japan. Using his corporate management experience at global companies, he provided pertinent advice regarding the establishment of IT strategies while instigating and supervising the execution of post-merger integration. In addition, serving as a member of the Nominating Committee and the Audit Committee from 2020, he has successfully performed his role by advising the composition of the Board of Directors, the executive structure design as well as specifying risk factors related to global business among others. The Nominating Committee of the Company has again nominated him as a candidate for Outside Director since he is expected to continue to effectively strengthen the decision making and the supervisory function of the Board of Directors. |
| Masayoshi Nakamura | Masayoshi Nakamura has built up over 30 years of hands-on experience as a specialist in M&A advisory and capital market financing, at investment banks including major US investment banks Lehman Brothers and Morgan Stanley, as well as at Mitsubishi UFJ Securities Co., Ltd. (currently Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities Co., Ltd.). During this time, he has led numerous major cross-border M&A deals to success. Since 2020, he has played a comprehensive role in keeping the Board of Directors connected with the respective committees in addition to compiling the views of the Independent Directors as the Lead Independent Director and providing advice to management team. In addition, he fulfilled his role as a member of the Nominating Committee and the Compensation Committee, by designing the composition of the Board of Directors, as well as the executive structure and the compensation thereof, among other matters. As the Board Chair since 2021, he has contributed to improving the effectiveness of the Board of Directors, being instrumental in deepening discussions through effective facilitation. The Nominating Committee of the Company has again nominated him as a candidate for Outside Director since he is expected to continue to effectively strengthen the decision making and the supervisory function of the Board of Directors. |