Management

Founder

Nozomu Matsumoto

The long road to Pioneer's current success began in 1932, when 26-year old Nozomu Matsumoto first heard a console-type electric phonograph with a dynamic speaker attached to it. The rich contrast of the sound compared to magnetic type speakers then in use created a desire in Matsumoto to build a dynamic speaker of his own. Five years later, in 1937, he hand crafted the A-8 and christened the new speaker "Pioneer." Matsumoto started a small factory to manufacture and repair radios and speakers the following year, 1938, the official year of Pioneer's founding.

Matsumoto's sons joined the family business and Pioneer saw sales steadily increase along with the company's reputation as a producer of quality speakers. By 1957 - twenty years after the first hand crafted speaker was made - Pioneer had orders for speakers from major manufacturers to use in their own complete stereo systems. Five years later, Pioneer embarked on the production and sale of its own complete stereo sets, marking a major shift from component maker to finished goods manufacturer. The separate stereo was one of Nozomu Matsumoto's greatest achievements. He created the concept, and made relentless efforts to create markets for it. He also devised a "one-step distribution system, a completely new form of distribution at the time that bypassed wholesales and built a nationwide network of sales offices.

Matsumoto continued to follow the origins of the company by creating new technologies. In 1975, when VCRs were still becoming popular, Pioneer halted R&D efforts on VCRs and began work on Laser Disc - the precursor to today's DVD and Blu-ray Disc technology. Over the years, Pioneer has proved its expertise in optical disc technology building on the early days of Laser Disc to continue product innovation.

Even after Matsumoto removed himself from day-to-day decision-making, his spirit continued to shape Pioneer's corporate culture and serve as an inspiration for each of its employees. The strength of the influence of a dynamic entrepreneur remains.

Matsumoto died in 1988 at the age of 83, leaving behind a very close-knit family. As 6,000 mourners lined the roadway to pay their respects, friends provided a tender farewell as they spoke of a man who had taken a small speaker factory and repair shop, and in 50 years built it into a multi-billion dollar international consumer electronics manufacturer - Pioneer Corporation.

Current Leadership

Tamihiko Sudo

Tamihiko Sudo took on the role of President and Representative Director of Pioneer Corporation on January 1, 2006, after holding various top executive posts within Pioneer. Sudo began his career at Pioneer in 1970, immediately after graduation from the College of Social Relations at St. Paul's University in Japan.

During his tenure with Pioneer, Sudo was stationed in Europe from 1977-1984 and again from 1989 - 1994. His experiences living in Europe enables him to bring a wide-ranging perspective to Pioneer at a time when the global economy necessitates global thinking.

Sudo worked his way up through Pioneer's mobile entertainment businesses, beginning in product planning and ultimately becoming the president of Pioneer's Mobile Entertainment Company.  He has a wealth of experience in managerial methods, and was project leader when Pioneer won the Japan Quality Award.

Born in 1947 in Gunma Prefecture, Japan, Sudo currently lives in Saitama Prefecture, near Tokyo with his wife and family. When not traveling on Pioneer business, he enjoys golf and watching high definition television.

Masao Kawabata

Masao Kawabata is chairman and chief executive officer of Pioneer North America (PNA) and a senior executive officer of Pioneer Corporation. He is responsible for corporate planning, shareholder relations, legal issues and overall business coordination for Pioneer North America and its subsidiaries.

His primary objective is to reinforce Pioneer’s position as a technology leader in the consumer electronics industry with a portfolio of innovative home, mobile and business products. His lengthy experience in the consumer electronics industry, including more than 37 years at Pioneer, has given Kawabata a strong viewpoint about how to synchronize the North American strategy and contribution to Pioneer’s overall global business success.

Being a Certified Self Assessor, Kawabata has also served as an Examiner of the Japan Quality Award, which recognizes strong management within an organization, another area that he would like to focus on within Pioneer.

Having directed company operations throughout the world, including stints in Australia, Belgium, Italy, United Kingdom and Japan, has given Kawabata a unique global experience and a comprehensive understanding of the global CE marketplace.

With a strong affinity for entertainment, Kawabata is a founding member of the Pioneer Choir and has performed with world-famous professional orchestras, such as the London Philharmonic and Japan Philharmonic. He lists golf and baseball as his favorite sports, having played first baseman for his league team in Japan.