New NYK Line President Calls for Prudent Investment Policy

The new president of Japanese shipping company Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line) Tadaaki Naito has called for a more prudent and rational approach to investment in the upcoming period to avoid unnecessary risk-taking.

“I believe that it is important to calmly and prudently verify in our investment decision-making process that we are fully in control of business profitability, or in other words, that we are not excessively dependent on factors outside our control. It is also important that we take a rational approach to necessary risk-taking after carefully considering this balance,” Naito, who took office today, said in his inaugural speech.

However, as the shipping and logistics industries, including ocean transport, are promising growth, Naito believes that the growth needs, in Asian emerging markets especially, should be carefully considered but not completely ruled out.

 “We must have sound management decision-making to cement the long-term stability of our business, and a proactively bold approach to high-growth businesses. Both of these are important and have been handed down to us as part of the DNA synthesized throughout the long and unbroken history of the NYK Group,” he added.

NYK has transformed its business substantially over the recent period by becoming a diverse logistics company, and, according to Naito, strengthening of the company’s diversification strategy should be resumed.

“In terms of considering the sustainable development of the group going forward, I think there are many important key expressions, and one of these is human resources development. Our medium-level section and team leaders who are involved in day-to-day operations and directly responsible for projects are particularly important players on the front lines. I am very keen to consider human resources initiatives to maximise the abilities of these key people. In addition, we must consider safety, stability, and reliability to be invaluable essentials required for our business,” Naito concluded.