Uni-Asia Group Limited announced that as part of succession planning and leadership renewal, Mr. Masahiro Iwabuchi, currently an Executive Director of the Company, will succeed Mr. Kenji Fukuyado as the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, following Mr. Fukuyado's retirement on February 29, 2024. Mr. Fukuyado first joined the Group in 2001 and had since held various management appointments within the Group before being appointed Chief Executive Officer in 2020. Under Mr. Fukuyado's leadership, the Group successfully weathered the COVID-19 pandemic, resumed payment of interim dividends for the financial year ended 2021, and achieved record profit for the financial year ended 2022.

Following the expiration of Mr. Fukuyado's Service Agreement on 29 February 2024, Mr. Fukuyado decided to retire and relinquish his roles as Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of the Group in order to spend more time with his family and pursue his other interests. Following the retirement of Mr. Fukuyado, the current Executive Director of the Company, Mr. Masahiro Iwabuchi will be appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Company with effect from 29 February 2024. Mr. Iwabuchi joined the Group when it was established in 1997 and had since held various management appointments within the Group.

He was appointed an Executive Director of the Company on 1 March 2018. Mr. Iwabuchi heads the Property Investment Department and oversees the Human Resource and Information Technology functions of the Group. He has extensive experience in the banking industry and has worked in various parts of Asia including Japan, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong and China.

Mr. Iwabuchi speaks fluent Japanese, English and Mandarin.