Japanese clothing retailer UNIQLO has appointed a chief operating officer, the first time it has created such a role, as founder and CEO Tadashi Yanai looks to delegate more responsibilities in the lead up to his expected retirement in 2022.
The position has been filled by Osamu Ikezoe, who joined the company in 1998 and has held a succession of senior management roles, most recently serving as head of UNIQLO’s Americas and Oceania divisions.
Yanai will retain oversight of the company’s broad strategy, but the new role will see Ikezoe oversee UNIQLO’s day-to-day operations in Japan and overseas, as well as the integration of its global brands under a new holding company Fast Retailing plans to set up in January 2022.
The move also aligns with UNIQLO’s strategy of integrating sustainability at all levels of the business, with Ikezoe set to oversee the creation of a newly-formed sustainability department, which will combine existing sustainability initiatives with the research and development functions of both UNIQLO and its parent company Fast Retailing.
Sustainability will be essential to the group’s long-term growth, Ikezoe told FashionNetwork.com in an interview.
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