Shigenobu Nagamori
Shigenobu Nagamori | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1944 Kyoto, Japan |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, businessman |
| Known for | Chairman and CEO of Nidec |
Shigenobu Nagamori (born 1944) is a Japanese billionaire entrepreneur, serving as the chairman and chief executive officer of Nidec, recognized as the leading global producer of micromotors utilized in hard disk drives and optical disk drives.
Early life
Originating from a farming background in Kyoto, Nagamori completed his studies in electrical engineering at the Polytechnic University located near Tokyo. Prior to founding Nidec in 1973, he gained professional experience at two engineering companies.
Career
Nagamori directly owns 12% of Nidec shares, alongside holdings through his investment company, SN Kosan. Additionally, he holds a position as a non-executive director at SoftBank, a prominent Japanese telecommunications firm with extensive technology investments.
In 2018, while maintaining his CEO responsibilities, Nagamori appointed Hiroyuki Yoshimoto to the role of president. His strategic vision includes expanding Nidec’s revenue to ¥10 trillion (approximately $91 billion) by 2030, concentrating on motor technologies for electric vehicles.
Philanthropy
The Nagamori Foundation, established by Nagamori, supports advancements in scientific research and industrial innovation, with particular focus on power generation and environmental technologies.
In 2014, he initiated the "Nagamori Awards" to honor rising engineers specializing in motor-related research and development. Each year, roughly six individuals are recognized, with the top recipient receiving the Grand Nagamori Award along with a prize near 5 million yen.
Distinguished recipients have included Bulent Sarlioglu (University of Wisconsin-Madison), Bin Yao (Purdue University), Jose Antonino-Daviu (Universitat Politecnica de Valencia), and Elena Lomonova (Eindhoven University of Technology).
In 2017, Nagamori committed $90 million to create an engineering research initiative at Kyoto Gakuen University, which commenced in 2020 enrolling 200 undergraduate and 100 graduate students.
Personal life
Nagamori lives in Kyoto with his spouse and their two children.