Hakuhodo DY Holdings names new president and COO

Hakuhodo DY Holdings has announced that Yasuo Nishiyama will assume the roles of president and chief operating officer in June 2025. Meanwhile, Masayuki Mizushima will transition to the role of chairman, while retaining his position as CEO

Nishiyama, who joined Hakuhodo in 1989, has held several key roles within the company, including general manager of Account Service Division 6. He was promoted to corporate officer in 2019 and became an executive officer of Hakuhodo DY Holdings in 2024. Mizushima, currently the president and CEO of both Hakuhodo DY Holdings and Hakuhodo Inc., will continue to oversee the company’s strategic direction. Hakuhodo Inc. is wholly owned by Hakuhodo DY Holdings.

The company stated that the restructuring aims "to build a new organisational framework to further transform our operations and accelerate initiatives for next-generation business.”

As part of the leadership shake-up, Kenji Nagura will be appointed the new president and representative director of Hakuhodo, with Mizushima moving to chairman. Nagura, who joined Hakuhodo in 1991, previously led Account Service Division 12 and was appointed corporate officer in 2018. He has served as director and senior corporate officer since 2023.

Yuichi Toda, who has served as chairman of both Hakuhodo DY Holdings and Hakuhodo Inc., is set to retire.

The leadership shuffle comes amidst Hakuhodo's merger with DY Media Partners, a move announced in November 2024. The merger, set to take effect in April 2025, will create a unified entity under the Hakuhodo name with 4,601 employees. The agency told Campaign Asia-Pacific at the time, that no jobs will be lost in Japan, and the integration aims to address the growing demand in the Japanese market for data-driven, full-funnel marketing solutions.

Further updates to the leadership structure are expected later this month, with the full transition anticipated to be completed by June 2025.

Financial performance

Hakuhodo reported mixed financial results in its most recent Q3 earnings. Billings grew by 2.8% year-on-year (YoY), while revenue increased 2.0%, reflecting steady business momentum. Operating income surged by an impressive 44.9% to ¥22.6 billion (US$14.80 million), and ordinary income rose 46.4% to ¥24.8 billion (US$15.85 million), driven by operational efficiencies and cost management.

However, the company recorded an extraordinary loss of ¥11.9 billion, largely due to structural reforms in North America and losses on investment securities. Despite these setbacks, Hakuhodo reported a modest net profit attributable to owners, underscoring its ability to maintain profitability amidst restructuring efforts.

Ryoko Tasaki and Nikita Mishra contributed to this story.