Deals
SoftBank Loses Veteran Board Member as Uniqlo Founder Exits
- Yanai to step down on Dec. 31 to focus on his own company
- Fast Retailing CEO has been on SoftBank’s board since 2001
Tadashi Yanai
Photographer: Kentaro Takahashi/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Fast Retailing Co. Chief Executive Officer Tadashi Yanai is leaving SoftBank Group Corp.’s board after more than 18 years as one of the few directors with the heft to challenge Masayoshi Son.
Yanai, Japan’s richest man, will step down on Dec. 31, according to a SoftBank statement on Friday. He is leaving the post to focus on running his own business, SoftBank spokeswoman Hiroe Kotera said. The founder of fashion chain Uniqlo has served as a SoftBank board member since June 2001.