Hiromasa Yonekura

Vice Chairman

Hiromasa Yonekura graduated from the Faculty of Law, University of Tokyo in 1960. He earned his Master's degree from the Department of Economics, Graduate School, Duke University in 1964 and completed the PhD course at the same school in 1965. Yonekura joined Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. in 1960. He served as Representative of Sumitomo Chemical New York Office from 1969 through 1972. He was appointed as General Manager of Foreign Department in 1983 and General Manager of Corporate Planning Office in 1986. In 1991, he became Director and General Manager of the Organic Chemicals Division. He was appointed as General Manager of Basic Chemicals Administration Office in charge of the Organic Chemicals Division in 1992; General Manager of Basic Chemicals Administration Office in charge of the Inorganic Chemicals and Organic Chemicals Divisions in 1993; and General Manager of Planning & Coordination Office of the Basic Chemicals Sector and the Petrochemicals & Plastics Sector in 1994. He became Managing Director in charge of Planning & Coordination Office of the Basic Chemicals Sector and the Petrochemicals Division of the Petrochemicals & Plastics Sector in 1995, and Managing Director with additional responsibility for Corporate Planning & Coordination Office in 1997. In 1998, he was appointed as Senior Managing Director in charge of Corporate Planning & Coordination Office. Mr. Yonekura became President in 2000 and remained in this position until 2009, when he became Chairman of the Board of Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.