Promoting Investment and Initiatives Toward Groupwide Growth to Secure Fans in Capital Markets
Takashi Tsuji Director CFO (Chief Financial Officer) Bandai Namco Holdings Inc.
Under its Mid-term Plan (April 2025 to March 2028), the Bandai Namco Group has adopted both a new growth investment strategy and shareholder return policy. Since joining the Company, Takashi Tsuji has built his career primarily in the finance field. Starting in FY2026.3, he has assumed the role of Director and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Bandai Namco Holdings Inc. In this section, he introduces the Group’s financial strategy to our shareholders and investors.
＜Profile＞
Born July 22, 1968
Apr. 1990Joined BANDAI CO., LTD.
Apr. 2007Joined Bandai Namco Holdings Inc.
Apr. 2015General Manager of Corporate Communication Department
Apr. 2018Executive Officer, Deputy Division General Manager of Corporate
Planning Division and General Manager of Corporate Communication
Department and Corporate Planning Department of the Company
Apr. 2025Executive Officer, CFO
Division General Manager of Corporate Planning Division (current position)
Director of Bandai Namco Business Arc Inc. (current position)
President and CEO of Bandai Namco Holdings Europe S.A.S.
(current position)
President and CEO of Bandai Namco Holdings UK Ltd. (current position)
Jun. 2025Director, CFO (current position)
From the Front Lines to the Core of Management
—— Mr. Tsuji, to date, you have been involved in the Accounting & Finance Department and Corporate Planning Division, correct?
That is right. Since my first year at Bandai Co., Ltd. I was involved in a broad range of finance and accounting work. I helped build the groundwork for the consolidated accounting software we still use to this day, and spearheaded various business reforms. Through these experiences, I believe I have developed a Companywide, broad-ranging perspective and the ability to assess issues from various angles to identify their essence.
At Bandai Namco Holdings Inc., I took part in formulating our Purpose, “Fun for All into the Future,” the ultimate definition of the Group, as a member of the Corporate Communication Department. In addition, I played a key role in formulating the current Mid-term Plan as Division General Manager of the Corporate Planning Division.
—— From FY2026.3, you have been appointed as the CFO.
While formulating the current Mid-term Plan, we shifted gears on the financial front to ensure the steady execution of our financial strategy by maintaining a balanced focus on not only net sales and operating profit but also capital policy, growth investments, and shareholder returns. My most important duty is to oversee the promotion of this strategy.
Accelerating Medium- to Long- Term Corporate Value Enhancement by Improving the Transparency of Our Capital Strategy
—— Please tell us about the background and the aim behind disclosing your capital initiatives.
To date, our Mid-term Plans and financial disclosure materials have centered mainly on P/L-based indicators. This approach was suitable for explaining future plans and business trends; however, it also tended to draw attention primarily to short-term performance indicators. To further enhance corporate value, we decided to disclose our approach to growth investments and medium- to long-term capital allocation. By doing so, we hope to provide easier-to-understand explanations of the direction in which we are heading and how we plan to enhance our corporate and shareholder value.
As demonstrated by our Purpose and Mid- to Long-term Vision of “Connect with Fans,” our fans are the reason that we can create value. Under the current Mid-term Plan, we have broadened the meaning of “fan” to encompass stakeholders from all directions, including not only our customers but also business partners, shareholders, employees, and society as a whole. By creating and delivering fun products, services, and experiences together with our stakeholders, we will realize growth on a Groupwide basis and enhance corporate value. At the same time, we will enhance our social value by contributing to a brighter society, and our economic value by expanding the entertainment ecosystem. Rather than focusing solely on benefiting the Bandai Namco Group, we aim to contribute to society and the economy together with our stakeholders. In doing so, we are committed to pursuing transparent management, in order to earn the support of an even broader base of investors.
—— I understand that you have been working on making revisions to the shareholder return policy.
That’s correct. We understand that our shareholders place great importance on how the funds entrusted to us are utilized in growth investments and how those investments generate appropriate returns. For this reason, we disclosed our approach to capital allocation.
Regarding our shareholder return policy, we have set a minimum dividend on equity (DOE) of 3.60% and a total return ratio of 50% or more. The annual dividend for FY2025.3 was ¥71 per share (base dividend of ¥22; performance-based dividend of ¥49), making for a DOE of 6.2%. This dividend, together with the acquisition of treasury share in the fourth quarter totaling approximately ¥34.9 billion, made for a total payout ratio of 62.7%. Guided by our basic policy, we will continue to carry out an appropriate level of shareholder returns moving forward.
—— How was the reaction from capital markets after the disclosure of the Mid-term Plan?
I feel we are receiving positive recognition for having clarified our long-term investment strategy and strategic direction. I also feel that our efforts, including the rebalancing of our long-term growth strategies and shareholder return policy, are being well received by the stock market, and we intend to meet the expectations of the market.
Capitalizing on the Growing Demand for Japanese IP to Drive Profit Increases in the Global Market
—— You have also joined the management ranks of our regional management companies in Europe.
In addition to the CFO role, from FY2026.3 I have assumed the position of President & CEO of Bandai Namco Holdings Europe S.A.S., and Managing Director of Bandai Namco Holdings UK Ltd. I have visited Europe as the regional manager to conduct store inspections and participate in local events. Through this experience, I have seen firsthand how deeply Japanese IP has already penetrated the market and how much potential it holds. To that end, we will strive to further develop Japanese IP in the region moving forward.
—— What do you feel the Group’s competitive edge is in the global market?
One major strength of Bandai Namco is our ability to leverage a broad range of contact points to swiftly roll out products and services. This strength is realized through a structure in which each business Unit operates with autonomy so that it can engage in agile decision-making similar to that of a startup company.
Although our overseas operations currently center on certain businesses and IP, Japanese IP is extremely popular in the global markets, offering universal appeal through compelling characters and stories and expressiveness rooted in the culture of manga. We are a company at the center of Japan’s content industry, and we thus believe we have a responsibility to bring Japanese IP to audiences around the world. If we can determine priorities as we move forward with our overseas development and build an operating structure similar to that of our Japanese operations, then we should be able to establish a significant competitive advantage in the global market.
—— Do you have a closing message for the stakeholder?
We have commenced the current Mid-term Plan and are making steady progress. Working together with our fans, business partners, shareholders, and other investors, we will continue to create dreams, fun and inspiration and deliver smiles across the globe. We will thoroughly share this aspiration across the Group and pursue co-creation with an even greater number of stakeholders, and we ask for your continued support as we do so.
