Minoru Murofushi Chairman Itochu Corporation

Minoru Murofushi is President and CEO of Itochu Corporation, one of Japan's leading general trading companies and, in terms of sales, the largest company in the world today. (Prior to October 1992, Itochu was known outside of Japan as C. Itoh & Co. Ltd.)

Murofushi also serves as a non-executive director of Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank Holding Corporation -- a rare function for a Japanese corporate executive. He assumes positions of responsibility in numerous public committees and organizations, including the Trilateral Commission, Tokyo Chamber of Commerce, Keizai Doyukai (Japan Association of Corporate Executives), and Foreign Trade Council.

Murofushi was born on September 22, 1931 in Shizuoka Prefecture In Central Japan. In April 1936, after graduating from Tokyo University with a BA in law, he embarked upon a career at Itochu, motivated primarily by his keen interest in international relations and a desire to work overseas.

His initial assignment was with the Coal Department. There, he was responsible for importing coal into Japan, at that time when the country was entering a period of rapid industrialization.

Murofushi's first overseas posting took him to New York in 1963, where he spent the next ten years. He started out as General Manager of the Coal Department and rose to the position of Vice President of Itochu's U.S. operations. During his time in New York, Murofushi was instrumental in bringing a number of US firms to Japan, most notably General Motors, through its tie-up with Isuzu Motors and Proctor & Gamble.

On his return to Tokyo in 1972, Murofushi joined the Corporate Planning & Administration Division. From 1977 to 1984, he served as General Manager of the Overseas Administration Department and the Corporate Project Planning & Development Departments, overseeing a number of large scale projects. One of his major accomplishments during this period was the development of a methanol plant at Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia, in conjunction with SABIC.

In June 1985, he was elected to the Board of Directors. In the following year, he returned to New York where he took over as CEO of C. Itoh & Co. (America), a fully owned subsidiary of Itochu. He held this position for three years, during which time he became Managing Director of the parent company.

On returning to Tokyo once again in 1989, he was elected Senior Managing Director and given responsibility for Itochu's overseas planning and administration. It was during his tenure that Itochu initiated a major restructuring program to streamline and rationalize its global operations.

From 1990, Murofushi has served as President and CEO of Itochu. Under his stewardship, Itochu has adopted a now corporate philosophy -- one that embodies his own personal credo, "Nothing is Impossible," established a separate department to promote environmental awareness throughout the company, and diversified into the fast growing field of media and entertainment through an alliance with Time Warner in 1992.

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