Hello, I’m Nakano, Executive Officer and Chief Digital Officer (CDO).

To achieve renewed growth of Sharp, we need to execute a comprehensive overhaul of our IT systems and promote company-wide digital transformation (DX). In particular, I believe the key business opportunity ahead lies in how we utilize the vast amounts of data accumulated throughout the company and convert that into business value.

As the person responsible for driving DX at Sharp, my mission is to see a big picture of the organization, identify systems that will support the company’s sustainable growth, and implement them swiftly.

Also, another one of my core responsibilities is quality improvement. While this may initially appear outside the scope of a CDO, by incorporating digital data into quality control processes that have traditionally relied on analog information, we can improve quality through DX. This initiative directly contributes to enhancing the trust and reliability of the Sharp brand.

Historically, Sharp has taken a conservative approach to IT investment. As a result, many of our current systems are approaching their limits. Legacy tools are no longer sufficient to sustain our competitive edge. Moreover, traditional work practices still persist internally, making it urgent to reform both our operational environment and mindset.

To catch up with competitors, we must swiftly modernize our core internal systems and create a work environment where every employee can actively pursue innovation in their daily tasks.

Additionally, many of our external service platforms—such as the “COCORO STORE” and appliance-linked services—are based on systems developed over a decade ago. These outdated infrastructures may hinder future service development. We will be updating these systems step by step as well.

In summary, my mission is to drive DX and build the necessary foundation to support it.

Looking ahead, I aim to establish a “Sharp-style data-driven management” approach tailored to our unique corporate culture. Rather than relying on experience or intuition, this approach uses data as the basis for decision-making and action. While this kind of transformation doesn’t happen overnight, I hope to work with all of you to visualize what it should look like and set a clear path toward achieving it during my tenure as CDO.

Finally, the business tools and IT systems you use daily will continue to evolve in line with organizational priorities and operational needs. I hope that all employees will take this opportunity to reevaluate how they work and strive to improve both the speed and quality of their operations.

Career History