ZOZO NEXT, Inc. Announces YAMADA Takayasu as New Representative Director, CEO

ZOZO NEXT, Inc. (headquartered in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, hereinafter "ZOZO NEXT") announces that YAMADA Takayasu, who served as CEO of ZOZO NEW ZEALAND LIMITED, the ZOZO Group's global R&D base, has been appointed Representative Director, CEO as of today, October 1, 2026.

SAWADA Kotaro, the former CEO, has resigned as Representative Director, CEO of ZOZO NEXT as of the same date, and will continue to be involved in the management of ZOZO NEXT as a Director.

ZOZO NEXT aims to solve users' problems in the fashion domain with the power of technology, and conducts R&D at ZOZO Research, a research institute for quantifying and scientifically exploring fashion, and at MATRIX, an organization that aims to create new businesses for the Group on themes that will have an impact on the future of fashion.

Within the ZOZO Group, YAMADA has led the R&D of advanced technologies as the head of measurement technology development, and from December 2024 he has overseen the Group's global R&D base as CEO of ZOZO NEW ZEALAND LIMITED. Now under the leadership of YAMADA, who is well versed in both measurement technology and overseas R&D, ZOZO NEXT will further accelerate its R&D in advanced technologies and aims to create new value in the fashion tech domain.

Name
YAMADA Takayasu

Date of Birth
November 5, 1974

Birthplace
Gifu Prefecture

Biography
Born in 1974, Gifu Prefecture. Joined Rakuten, Inc. (current Rakuten Group, Inc.) in April 2000 after graduating from Keio University, Faculty of Environment and Information Studies. After working as an engineer on the development of Rakuten Ichiba, he oversaw the planning and development divisions for e-commerce related services, including Rakuten Ichiba. In 2017, he joined START TODAY Engineering CO., LTD. (current ZOZO NEXT, Inc.), where he was responsible for measurement technology such as ZOZOSUIT, as well as development for the overseas expansion of the private brand business. In October 2021, he was appointed a Director of ZOZO NEXT, Inc. and ZOZO NEW ZEALAND LIMITED, and in November 2021 a Director of Bespokify (Vietnam) Ltd. In December 2024, he was appointed CEO of ZOZO NEW ZEALAND LIMITED. In October 2026, he was appointed Representative Director, CEO of ZOZO NEXT, Inc. (to present)

Career
Oct. 1998 Joined ThirdWare Inc. (current SIOS Technology, Inc.)
Apr. 2000 Joined Rakuten, Inc. (current Rakuten Group, Inc.)
Apr. 2007 Seconded to Rakuten USA, Inc.
Apr. 2009 Founded an IT company and assumed the position of Representative Director
Jul. 2017 Joined START TODAY Engineering CO., LTD. (current ZOZO NEXT, Inc.)
Oct. 2021 Transferred to ZOZO, Inc. as Director of ZOZO NEXT, Inc. and ZOZO NEW ZEALAND LIMITED
Nov. 2021 Director of Bespokify (Vietnam) Ltd.
Dec. 2024 CEO of ZOZO NEW ZEALAND LIMITED
Oct. 2026 Representative Director, CEO of ZOZO NEXT, Inc. (to present)

Our mission at ZOZO NEXT is to ‘Create the Future of Fashion and the NEXT Big Thing.’
We aim to create a world where more people can enjoy fashion through imagining and solving users' problems in the fashion domain with the power of technology. ZOZO NEXT conducts R&D at ZOZO Research, a research institute for quantifying and scientifically exploring fashion, and at MATRIX, an organization that aims to create new businesses for the ZOZO Group on themes that will have an impact on the future of fashion.

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