Omron names new head of European operations

By Control Engineering Staff May 5, 2006

Tokyo, JapanOmron Corp. has announced the appointment of Roberto Maietti as president and CEO of Omron Europe B.V. Reporting to Fumio Tateisi, Japan-based president of Omron’s Industrial Automation Business, Maietti also will be president of the Omron Management Center Europe. Maietti will be confirmed as an executive officer of Omron Corp. at the shareholder’s meeting on June 22.

Following the appointment last year of the company’s first non-Japanese executive officer, this announcement of the first-ever European CEO represents a clear break with the Japanese company’s tradition, signaling a major step in encouraging international management within its organization.

Roberto Marietti was named prosident and CEO of Omron Europe B.V.

According to Dave Sanders, European Finance and Administration director, “This move illustrates that the Japanese board of Omron will reinforce the emphasis it places on regional dynamics in determining its global strategy, and is now seeking to accelerate the company’s move from a multi-local corporation with a global infrastructure, to one characterized by a global culture and driven by a world view.”

As an executive officer, Maietti will become part of the steering committee in Japan, reflecting the importance Omron places on moving even closer to its European customer base. This represents a major opportunity for the region to voice local customer interests, raise understanding of their needs, and influence corporate strategy from a European perspective. “That means not only taking the strategic view from Japan and localizing it for Europe,” Maietti said, “but also bringing a European perspective to corporate strategy.”

The result, he feels, will be that customers will get more attention. “In the new elan, Omron has indicated a clear desire to increase its understanding of the real needs of customers, and what is behind those needs.”

In his most recent role, Maietti was European sales director for Omron Europe B.V., a position he will continue to hold concurrent with being acting COO until further notice.

Former European president and CEO, Kojiro Tobita, will be returning to Japan to take on a new assignment and stated, “(his) dedication to the company’s customer focus and its concern for putting people first has made him an outstanding European sales director. This sense of empathy and his commitment to business excellence qualifies him well for this all-important new role as the European CEO.”

With the company for 19 years, Maietti has filled various roles, including several international assignments. His experience includes sales, marketing and production as well as general management. During his tenure as head of Omron Italy, it was recognized by The Great Place to Work Institute Inc., an independent U.S.-based research center, for the excellent working climate within the company.

— Richard Phelps, senior editor, Control Engineering