Universal Music Japan has appointed Rui Suzuki as its Tokyo-based chief financial officer starting on Jan. 1, 2021, the company announced on Monday.
He will oversee the branch’s financial operations, accounting and strategic planning, reporting to Universal Music Japan CEO Naoshi Fujikura.
Suzuki joins Universal after a four-year stint as chief financial officer and director for Moneytree in Japan, as well as prior roles at Goldman Sachs and Mizuho Financial Group.
Fujikura welcomed Suzuki by saying, “I am quite confident that his extensive experience in international finance and fintech will bring us flexible and agile financing in a business world of rapid change.”
She noted: “In 2020, the spread of COVID-19 brought many challenges to the domestic music business in Japan, however at the same time, new trends emerged, such as the global hit success of our Japanese language releases from BTS.”
Tokyo-headquartered Universal Music Japan is part of Universal Music Group, which is expanding its footprint in Asia. The group in 2019 launched new label divisions for Def Jam and Astralwerks in Southeast Asia, and earlier this year set up a new local label focused on soundtracks and scores called “Magic Muses” in China, among other moves to extend its reach region.