Japan-based Nomura Asset Management has appointed Junko Nakagawa as its new chief executive.
The appointment of Nakagawa, currently an executive managing director, is the first time a woman has been promoted to head up a leading Japanese asset manager.
She will assume the new role from April 1 taking over from Kunio Watanabe who will become executive chairman for the Americas. Meanwhile, the group CEO of Nomura Holdings, Koji Nagai, will stay down to oversee the change.
Nakagama began her career at Nomura Securities, the securities brokerage arm of Nomura Holdings, before leaving in 2004.
She rejoined Nomura in 2008 as president of its healthcare arm, becoming executive managing director in 2017.
Her appointment is a further demonstration of efforts to address Japan’s corporate culture in which men have dominated executive roles. Earlier this month auditing and consulting firm EY appointed its first female chair Masami Katakura.
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