ClassNK appoints new president and CEO

Mr Hiroaki Sakashita commented: “The maritime industry is changing its shape to adapt to environmental responsibilities and the digital era. For the swift mitigation of the industry to the new stage, there will be an increasing need for the role of independent third-party organizations to assure the safety, environmental performance, and quality of new technologies or concepts. ClassNK, with its new executive team, will actively participate in new innovative initiatives to enhance its capability, and pave the way for the development of new technologies and propagation of their benefits throughout the industry.”

Mr. Sakashita’s predecessor as Representative Director, President and CEO, Mr. Koichi Fujiwara, has been appointed Chairman of the Board.

Mr. Sakashita began his career at Japan’s Ministry of Transport (now Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) in 1980. During his period at the government he has played vital roles in maritime administration including regulatory oversight and industry development. He assumed the position of Director-General of the Maritime Bureau in 2015, and Deputy Minister for Technical Affairs, Minister’s Secretariat in 2016.

He joined ClassNK in 2018 as Executive Consultant before being appointed to his previous position overseeing ClassNK’s expansion of its business portfolio and digital transformation in 2019.

Mr. Sakashita graduated from the Division of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering, the Faculty of Engineering, Yokohama National University in 1980.