ZOZO NEXT appointed Yamada Takayasu (山田貴康) as its new Representative Director and CEO, effective 1 October 2026. The previous CEO, Sawada Kotaro (澤田宏太郎), will change from CEO to director on the same date and will continue to be involved in management.
ZOZO NEXT announced that Yamada Takayasu (山田貴康), who oversees its global R&D centers, will become Representative Director and CEO effective 1 October 2026. The previous CEO, Sawada Kotaro (澤田宏太郎), will change from CEO to director on the same date and is expected to remain involved in the company.
Within the ZOZO Group, Yamada has served as head of measurement technology development and, since December 2024, has also served as CEO of ZOZO NEW ZEALAND LIMITED while overseeing its global R&D centers. As the new CEO, he has indicated a policy of accelerating R&D in advanced technologies by drawing on his experience in measurement technology and overseas R&D.
ZOZO NEXT conducts R&D through the ZOZO Research Institute, which pursues the quantification and scientific elucidation of issues in fashion, and MATRIX, an organization aimed at creating new businesses.