News Release
Carlyle Names Former Executive Director of Panasonic Corporation Hiroyuki Aota as Senior Advisor
Tokyo, Japan, August 2, 2021 – Global investment firm The Carlyle Group (NASDAQ: CG) today announced that Hiroyuki Aota, former Executive Director of Panasonic Corporation, has been appointed as Senior Advisor to the Carlyle Japan advisory team, effective from August 1, 2021.
Mr. Aota will primarily advise the Carlyle Japan team on investment activities in the general industries sector, including identifying and assessing new opportunities.
Kazuhiro Yamada, Head of the Carlyle Japan advisory team, said, “Mr. Aota, with his exceptional track record in and knowledge of the manufacturing industry as well as his reputation for building trusted relationships, will no doubt bring unique and significant value to Carlyle and our portfolio companies in the general industries sector. We very much look forward to working with Mr. Aota as Carlyle continues to enhance its investment activities in this sector and create value in Japanese companies.”
Mr. Aota said, “Carlyle has continually proven to provide the utmost expertise and loyalty to its portfolio companies to achieve sustainable growth. I am delighted to work closely with the Carlyle team to contribute to its growing number of value creation initiatives and help Japanese companies further achieve their business transformations, developments and ambitions.”
Mr. Aota brings to Carlyle nearly 40 years of experience in the general industries sector having held a number of leadership roles at Panasonic Corporation, where he served as Director from 2015-2019, Executive Director from 2019-2021, Vice President at Panasonic Connected Solutions Company from 2017-2020, and concurrently at Panasonic Smart Factory Solutions Company, President from 2015-2020 and Chairman from 2020-2021. Prior to this, he held several senior management roles within the Panasonic Group including Director and Executive Planning Director at Automotive & Industrial Systems Company, Director at the Primary Battery and Electric Motor divisions, and President of Matsushita Electric Motor Company America. During this time, Mr. Aota drove innovation across the manufacturing process, improving frontline operations through integration and automation.
Mr. Aota joins a growing team of eleven Senior Advisors and Operating Executives supporting the firm in Japan across its core industry groups. Carlyle has extensive experience supporting Japanese companies in expanding overseas, enhancing operational efficiencies, and strengthening management infrastructure, for both succession planning and carve-out deals. The team in Japan has made 28 investments to date and completed 18 exits, eight of which have been through IPO.
Carlyle has a well-established history of investing in the industrial sector, both in Japan and globally. The firm has invested more than US$24.8 billion of equity in over 140 deals in the industrial sector as of March 31, 2021. Its investments in Japan include Kito, Tsubaki Nakashima, Senqcia, and Rigaku,among others.
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About Carlyle
Carlyle (NASDAQ: CG) is a global investment firm with deep industry expertise that deploys private capital across three business segments: Global Private Equity, Global Credit and Investment Solutions. With $276 billion of assets under management as of June 30, 2021, Carlyle’s purpose is to invest wisely and create value on behalf of its investors, portfolio companies and the communities in which we live and invest. Carlyle employs nearly 1,800 people in 27 offices across five continents. Further information is available at carlyle.com. Follow Carlyle on Twitter @OneCarlyle.
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