Prior to the new appointment, Kajiwara worked as the senior general manager for the sales and marketing department for Nikon Europe. During his almost three decades with the company, he also worked as a general manager for communications in Japan. Kajiwara also spent nine years working in the U.S. from 2004 to 2013 as the vice president of the marketing division, as well as the head of the imaging division. Nikon says that Kaijwara oversaw many product and marketing efforts, including DSLRs, compact cameras, and lenses.
“I am very eager to help lead the charge in the Americas; It’s an exciting time in the imaging industry, and as Nikon celebrates our 100th anniversary, the company’s outlook for innovation is positive, which is great news for our customers, partners and retailers,” Kajiwara said in a press release. “We just announced Nikon’s most powerful DSLR ever, and the highly acclaimed D850 DSLR is just the start of great things to come. Nikon is leveraging its legacy and experience to create exceptional products and solutions for a wide range of applications.”
Nikon says the president and CEO is responsible for leading efforts in marketing, customer satisfaction and product development for the region. The global company is currently restructuring to create a more stable organization as camera sale trends change, and Nikon says Kajiwara will continue to work on “focus and efficiency.” That same restructuring, announced a year ago, led Nikon to discontinue sales in Brazil, close a plant in China and cancel the DL compact camera line.
Kajiwara takes the position as Nikon is celebrating their 100th year in business, which includes special events and limited edition cameras, lenses and accessories. The company formed in 1917 when three optical manufacturers came together, focusing on high-end optics before adding their first consumer camera in 1948.
