Top Irvine Toshiba Executive Promoted to Key Tokyo Post

Toshiba America Inc.’s highest-ranking Japanese executive in Orange County is returning to Japan as part of a management shuffle, the company said.

Co-chairman Taizo Nishimuro was responsible for orchestrating strategic high-tech alliances such as a key agreement to build an interactive TV network with media giant Time Warner Inc. The network is being tested in Orlando, Fla.

Nishimuro will become a senior vice president for Toshiba Corp. in Tokyo with responsibility for Toshiba’s worldwide sales of personal computers, televisions, audio products and copiers.

Nishimuro’s new position is a promotion. His previous corporate title was vice president. Effective June 29, Nishimuro will be succeeded by Hitoshi Ohashi, president of Toshiba America’s consumer products unit.

Meanwhile, Takeshi Okatomi will replace Tadao Taguchi as chairman of Toshiba America Inc., a New York-based umbrella group that oversees Toshiba’s subsidiaries in the United States.

Toshiba America’s operations in Orange County, which range from manufacturing laptop computers to selling office equipment and computer chips, report to the New York-based group. In total, the group has 7,500 employees, including about 2,000 in Orange County.

Okatomi is now executive vice president and group executive of Toshiba Corp.’s corporate staff. He joined the company in 1956 and has held marketing positions in Germany, the United Kingdom and South Africa.