Hello, I’m Katsuhiro Kawai, Executive Officer, President of Sharp Display Technology Corporation (SDTC).

After joining Sharp, I was assigned to the “A1140 project team” at Tenri, which focused on launching mass production lines for LCDs. Since then, I’ve been engaged in developing CG-silicon process technology and setting up production lines at Tenri and Taki. I’ve been involved in laying the foundation for Sharp’s LCD technology.

Later, driven by a desire to hear customers’ voices directly, I relocated to Chicago, U.S.A., where I served as head of the Quality Support Center and Design Center. After returning to Japan following the global financial crisis, I transitioned into a sales role overseeing the North American market. After that experience, I ultimately took on a broader management role in sales.

I learned a great deal from negotiating with overseas companies during my sales days. At one such company, negotiations were conducted in three phases—technical teams would first demand advanced specs with little regard for cost, purchasing would negotiate pricing and volume, and finally, legal would step in to finalize the agreement. This structure required highly detailed and strategic responses on our part. Through these experiences, I gained a deeper understanding of differing negotiation styles and perspectives.

Though my overseas assignment lasted only a year and a half, the experience taught me things I could never have gained through short business trips. If given the opportunity, I strongly encourage you to take assignments abroad. Sharp is a company that rewards determination—you may need to put in the effort, but if you keep expressing your desire, opportunities will come.

The LCD industry is currently facing intense global competition. Competing head-on with major Chinese and Korean players is increasingly difficult. However, I believe there are still paths forward in areas where differentiation is possible or in niche markets. Sharp has strong technological capabilities—especially in proprietary technologies such as IGZO—and we can adopt a strategy that avoids direct competition. Still, technology alone isn’t enough to win over customers. We must always focus on delivering real value to them.

From a marketing perspective, organizations like ours with limited capacity must carefully analyze our positioning and competitors. It’s important to find underserved markets that others may overlook. Even if the market is small, if there are high barriers to entry and more lead time, we can maximize our strengths.

Given the current international situation, we hold a certain advantage with production bases in Japan, especially for companies looking to adopt a “Non-China Non-Taiwan” (NCNT) or “China+1” strategy. Competing on value—not price—will be the key.

As for the direction of our LCD business, I will focus on three main pillars: “Shifting and concentrating resources on strategic areas,” “optimizing production capacity,” and “promoting collaborative projects.” We will continue to develop in focused areas such as automotive displays utilizing IGZO’s low power consumption, and expanding our ePoster product lineup.

Lastly, what I ask of everyone is to act with foresight. Identifying markets where we can win, anticipating what’s to come, and building solid strategies will be increasingly essential. Let’s work together to leverage marketing tools and pinpoint areas where we can make the most of our strengths.

Career History

Message