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Nippon Television Network Corporation (Nippon TV), Japan’s leading multiplatform entertainment powerhouse, announced today that Board Director and Operating Officer Hiroyuki Fukuda will now oversee the International Business Development (IBD) division for Nippon TV. He replaces Kenichi Hirose who will be taking the new position of Board Director and Senior Executive Operating Officer at Fukuoka Broadcasting System Corporation (FBS). Based in Tokyo, Fukuda will report to Yoshikuni Sugiyama, a newly appointed Representative Director and Operating Officer of Nippon TV who will report to Representative Director and President, Yoshinobu Kosugi, and Representative Director, Chairman and CEO, Yoshio Okubo. Atsushi Sogo, President of IBD, will report directly to Fukuda.

“The timing could not be better to be taking on this new role with IBD,” commented Fukuda. “Nippon TV’s scripted series (Mother, Woman –My Life for My Children–, Abandoned, Mr. Hiiragi’s Homeroom) and our unscripted formats (BLOCK OUT, Red Carpet Survival, Mute it!) are steadily becoming knockout hits around the world and captivating audiences with record ratings thanks to my highly motivated team at IBD under the management of Atsushi Sogo, President of IBD. Having served as President of Production as well as President of Programming, winning the annual viewer ratings Triple Crown title for six consecutive years and running, I am well aware of the keen insight and unsurpassed strengths of our creators and I truly look forward to advancing IBD’s format business even more with my experience.”

Yoshikuni Sugiyama joined The Yomiuri Shimbun after university and became Board Director and Senior Executive Operating Officer in 2012. He has then held the position and has vast experience as President of its many group companies. He joins Nippon TV on June 26th 2020, as Representative Director and Operating Officer, and will oversee its International developments as well as Group, Finance, and Content Businesses.

Hiroyuki Fukuda joined Nippon TV in 1985, starting out in the Sales division. After successful roles as President of Programming and President of Production, spearheading Nippon TV to constantly becoming the ratings champion of Japan, he became Board Director and Operating Officer in 2019 and will now oversee Nippon TV’s International developments as well as Production, Programming and Content Businesses. He is a former Varsity Rugby player and appropriately became the executive in charge of Nippon TV’s successful broadcast and streaming of The Rugby World Cup since 2007.