Directors

LL.B, LL.M, the Order of Industrial Service Merit Silver Tower 

Non-executive Director and Member of the Nomination Committee

Mr. Oku, aged 79, was appointed a Director in 2015. He is an Independent Non-executive Director of Rengo Co., Ltd., The Royal Hotel, Limited and TV TOKYO Holdings Corporation, all of which are companies listed in Japan. Mr. Oku is also the Honorary Advisor of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. (“SMFG”) (listed in Japan and USA). He was an Independent Non-executive Director of Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (listed in Japan).

Mr. Oku began his career in 1968 at The Sumitomo Bank, Limited. After engaging in the bank’s key acquisitions and investments in the 1980’s, he was transferred to New York and appointed General Manager of Chicago Branch in 1991. He returned to Tokyo in 1992, assumed the position of General Manager of the Corporate Planning Department, and was elected as a member of the Board of Directors of the bank in 1994. In 1999, Mr. Oku was appointed Secretary General of the Integration Strategy Committee of the bank, leading its merger process with The Sakura Bank, Limited, which culminated in the formation of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (“SMBC”) in 2001. In 2003, he became Deputy President of SMBC, heading Corporate Banking and International Banking Units. In 2005, he was appointed President and CEO of SMBC and Chairman of the Board of SMFG, the holding company of SMBC. During his tenure as President and CEO of SMBC, he also served as Chairman of Japanese Bankers Association in 2007 and 2010. In April 2011, he resigned as President and CEO of SMBC to devote himself to his duties as Chairman of the Board of SMFG. Mr. Oku also served as Vice Chairman of Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) from 2011 to 2015. In April 2017, Mr. Oku stepped down as Chairman of the Board of SMFG and remained as a Director until 28th June, 2017.

Mr. Oku received his Bachelor of Law degree from Kyoto University in 1968 and his Master of Laws (LL.M) degree from Michigan Law School in 1975. He was awarded the Order of Industrial Service Merit Silver Tower by the Government of the Republic of Korea in 2009.