Iwata to become Nintendo of America CEO, NoA CEO promoted to NCL Managing Director

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I must be the only person that greatly preferred the Wii to the GameCube. All scenarios going forward are a little terrifying.
 
1. Iwata is still CEO of Nintendo

2. Iwata has promoted Tatsumi Kimishima (CEO + Director of Nintendo of America + Board Member)

3. Kimishima will take Mori's (General Manager, Corporate Analysis and Administration) and Matsumoto's (GM, Finance and Information Systems, GM, General Affairs, GM, Finance Department) positions.

4. Kimishima's official job title will be "NCL Managing Director," and he's in the top position to take over if Iwata gets fired as CEO in 2014.

5. Iwata, despite being CEO of Nintendo, will now be (CEO + Director of Nintendo of America) AS WELL.

6. Iwata, if fired as CEO in 2014, will still stay in the company as CEO of Nintendo of America.



Question is here: was Iwata in the NCL Managing Director position before he took over the reigns?

No, it looks like a new position created by Nintendo to give Kimishima elevated authority over other board members.

There was a "Managing Director" position, but this new job is greater than that. That's why it's "NCL Managing Director" and not just "Managing Director."
 
Kimishima is 62 years old, at least according to his wiki page. I think his promotion might very well have personal reasons: He wants to move back to Japan and both Mori and Matsumoto retiring gives him the possibility to do do.

I'd hope he's not the "next in line". NoA isn't exactly Nintendo's best division and ... well, he's too old. Iwata being followed by a conservative man, who might very well retire in 5 years already doesn't strike me as the move the company needs to do.

Interesting. This could possibly be the reason and a potential replacement for Iwata might not even be on the table.
 
1. Iwata is still CEO of Nintendo

2. Iwata has promoted Tatsumi Kimishima (CEO + Director of Nintendo of America + Board Member)

3. Kimishima will take Mori's (General Manager, Corporate Analysis and Administration) and Matsumoto's (GM, Finance and Information Systems, GM, General Affairs, GM, Finance Department) positions.

4. Kimishima's official job title will be "NCL Managing Director," and he's in the top position to take over if Iwata gets fired as CEO in 2014.

5. Iwata, despite being CEO of Nintendo, will now be (CEO + Director of Nintendo of America) AS WELL.

6. Iwata, if fired as CEO in 2014, will still stay in the company as CEO of Nintendo of America.

That's most likely.
 
I have a hard time understanding why they would make Iwata CEO of the entire company and one region at the same time. Doesn't he have enough work already?
 
1. Iwata is still CEO of Nintendo

2. Iwata has promoted Tatsumi Kimishima (CEO + Director of Nintendo of America + Board Member)

3. Kimishima will take Mori's (General Manager, Corporate Analysis and Administration) and Matsumoto's (GM, Finance and Information Systems, GM, General Affairs, GM, Finance Department) positions.

4. Kimishima's official job title will be "NCL Managing Director," and he's in the top position to take over if Iwata gets fired as CEO in 2014.

5. Iwata, despite being CEO of Nintendo, will now be (CEO + Director of Nintendo of America) AS WELL.

6. Iwata, if fired as CEO in 2014, will still stay in the company as CEO of Nintendo of America.

Should be added to OP, if it hasn't already been.
 
Unless Iwata is stepping in to bring NoA round personally, streamlining the whole process, reducing inefficiency, focussing on building western relationships and setting up western studios.

That can be a good thing.

Given that Iwata seems to have been largely responsible (per Shikimaru Ninja) for ending NOA/NOE's autonomy in the first place, I would not be optimistic about this happening.
 
I must be the only person that greatly preferred the Wii to the GameCube. All scenarios going forward are a little terrifying.

They are probably around 80 million of you actually. The majority of GAF just happens to be from those 20 million who bought both.
 
Well yeah, Nintendo could very well pick someone else. It's just the way that they're maneuvering people within the company, that's what looks like is happening.

This was more about the thread title change suggesting this was the case, when it really was not.
Probably the reason that thread title got rechanged again.
 
1. Iwata is still CEO of Nintendo

2. Iwata has promoted Tatsumi Kimishima (CEO + Director of Nintendo of America + Board Member)

3. Kimishima will take Mori's (General Manager, Corporate Analysis and Administration) and Matsumoto's (GM, Finance and Information Systems, GM, General Affairs, GM, Finance Department) positions.

4. Kimishima's official job title will be "NCL Managing Director," and he's in the top position to take over if Iwata gets fired as CEO in 2014.

5. Iwata, despite being CEO of Nintendo, will now be (CEO + Director of Nintendo of America) AS WELL.

6. Iwata, if fired as CEO in 2014, will still stay in the company as CEO of Nintendo of America.

What's your basis for #6? That seems highly unlikely to me.
 
In many ways yes. NoA is a marketing and distribution arm basically. Having one man at the head of both though streamlines the whole thing I would imagine, meaning his vision or direction is reflected much faster instead of through a dozen other people who are waiting for permission. If the man wants a global launch for some game, or a unified strategy across two territories, he will get it.

What dozen other people? Reggie reports to Iwata doesn't he?
 
LOL.

I knew it. Iwata won't give up his position easily.

But my dream of Reggie becoming worldwide president of Nintendo is slowly fading. It's not too late reggie! I will root for you!
 
What's your basis for #6? That seems highly unlikely to me.

Why else would Iwata make such a move? Iwata already has complete control over so many things that Nintendo of America does. They're a puppet, remember?

It looks like his exit strategy to stay in the company if his bold "100B JPY Operating Profit" grand strategy doesn't work out (and it probably won't work out). So Iwata's planning for the future.

I don't believe the "globalization" PR speak for a second.
 
I have a hard time understanding why they would make Iwata CEO of the entire company and one region at the same time. Doesn't he have enough work already?

Likely a refocusing on the western market. Japan is just fine and NCL can pretty much handle things itself most likely. North America and Europe but especially North America needs a LOT of attention. Having Iwata CEO of NoA just cuts out a lot of red tape within the company itself. He's basically seeking approval from himself at this point I think but the position still needs to be there and filled.

This also, hopefully, means he'll be spending more time in North America itself instead of just coming over for events like E3. This would allow him to have more face time with heads of other companies and the media (gaming and non-gaming) in general.
 
if this means NoA stops getting it's butt kicked by NoE when it comes to releasing games I'm all for it

if that doesn't happen then this could just end up being really bad
 
I have a hard time understanding why they would make Iwata CEO of the entire company and one region at the same time. Doesn't he have enough work already?

I suppose, but NoA has really fallen behind what Japan and Europe have done in terms of marketing and software lineup. Having the guy who's been running the most successful dome for Nintendo (Japan) in the largest software market (America) may produce results.
 
Why else would Iwata make such a move? Iwata already has complete control over so many things that Nintendo of America does. They're a puppet, remember?

It looks like his exit strategy to stay in the company if his bold "100B JPY Operating Profit" grand strategy doesn't work out (and it probably won't work out). So Iwata's planning for the future.

I don't believe the "globalization" PR speak for a second.

Couldn't the board and new CEO just oust him anyway? Doesn't seem like something that would guarantee him a position in the company.
 
Either Iwata is being positioned to take over NOA as CEO or this is a temporary move until they find someone to take over (and they don't want Reggie as CEO). Most likely it's the latter- they need someone to take the position but not Reggie.

Reggie could be shifting his position as well here soon it sounds if the Wii U does not take off soon.
 
Couldn't the board and new CEO just oust him anyway? Doesn't seem like something that would guarantee him a position in the company.

It'd guarantee him a position for at least a little while longer.

If Iwata gets ousted as CEO...that's just it, he only gets ousted as CEO. He'd have to separately get fired to lose his Nintendo of America position.

And with the control over the entire company taken away from him, the new CEO may decide to just keep Iwata in a muted management position.
 
This could seriously be the best, or the worst news right now. I'm now leaning towards best news, but still have some reservations.
 
Why else would Iwata make such a move? Iwata already has complete control over so many things that Nintendo of America does. They're a puppet, remember?

It looks like his exit strategy to stay in the company if his bold "100B JPY Operating Profit" grand strategy doesn't work out (and it probably won't work out). So Iwata's planning for the future.

I don't believe the "globalization" PR speak for a second.

Can you think of an example of a CEO of a global company accepting a demotion to regional head, particularly head of a region that is a puppet?

If Iwata resigns, he's not going to stay with Nintendo in any real capacity. He's not going to go back to HAL, and he's not going to move to Seattle to run NOA.
 
Reggie could be shifting his position as well here soon it sounds if the Wii U does not take off soon.

Iwata has already commented negatively regarding the WiiU marketing campaign in North America, IIRC.

I don't really think Reggie will be on the hot seat so much as the VP of sales and marketing - Scott Moffitt (the guy who replaced Cammie).
 
More Iwata is a good thing.

I'm sorry for his sleep time and his wife though.



It's reggie I want out, even though I'm european.

Iwata is a sound person.
I think he's stuck between two situations :

1/ huge retail market which Nintendo approaches moslty through high volumes retaliers like Walmart/Carrefour etc...
2/ Brand recognition. In many aspects Nintendo is your childhood. They don't know how to value except by rehashing memories.
I'm pretty sure there is amiddle ground between selling xM units and favoring people who embrace your brand.

How in the world would Reggie getting fired make it better of NOE?
 
I haven't thought through the actual consequences of this yet and whether it would be good or bad, but the mental image of the people that were already at the boiling point if Iwata did not resign just completely losing it is pretty damn great.
 
Why is speculation constantly being mixed in with the facts here? Iwata is assuming the new role in addition to his current role. There's nothing remotely stating that he will be losing his current position as global president in the coming months.
 
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