Canon announces leadership changes for U.S., Canada

Canon U.S.A. Inc., Melville, NY, named Isao “Sammy” Kobayashi as its new president and CEO, effective Jan. 1. Kobayashi was most recently president and CEO at Canon Canada for the past year. Kobayashi succeeds Kazuto “Kevin” Ogawa, who will return to Japan for a new assignment following five years at Canon U.S.A., having served as president and CEO since April, 2020.

Beginning his career at Canon Inc. in 1990, Kobayashi served first in the photocopier sales division and became assistant manager in the Canon U.S.A. inkjet printer group in 2005. After several promotions, he became a vice president of the Imaging Technologies & Communications Group in 2020, overseeing the company’s consumer imaging products. In 2021,  Kobayashi served as vice president and general manager of the new Hybrid-workplace Solutions Group (HSG), which was formed to address the increased demand for products and solutions needed for hybrid workstyles amid COVID-19.

In April 2022, Kobayashi became senior vice president and general manager of Canon U.S.A. and was appointed as an executive officer of Canon Inc., a title he still holds.

Succeeding Kobayashi as President and CEO of Canon Canada will be Mikio Takagi, who will be moving from the head position at Canon Mexicana and Canon Panama, where he has served since 2018.

Akira Ikeda will serve as President and CEO of Canon Mexicana and Canon Panama after his role as Vice President of Canon Mexicana. Shohei Hizawa has been promoted to President and CEO of Canon do Brasil.