Passing of Former President and CEO Dr. Yasuo Naruke

It is with great sadness that Kioxia Holdings shares that former President and CEO Dr. Yasuo Naruke passed away on July 27, 2020. The company extends its deepest condolences to Dr. Naruke’s family and all those he led over his illustrious career.

Dr. Naruke joined Toshiba in 1984 and was at the helm of Toshiba Memory when it became independent of Toshiba Corporation in 2017, and later when it rebranded as Kioxia in 2019. He retired this past January.

Kioxia President and CEO Nobuo Hayasaka said, “We are greatly saddened by the passing of Dr. Naruke. His brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations. Throughout his distinguished career, he was a key driver behind our memory business and laid the foundation for Kioxia under his outstanding leadership. We bid him farewell with heavy hearts.”

Kioxia Executive Chairman Stacy J. Smith said, “Dr. Naruke was a highly-respected leader, not just within our organization, but the entire industry. It was a privilege to know him personally and to work alongside him. He will be missed by the entire Kioxia family. We will be forever grateful for his leadership and dedication and the impact that he had on Kioxia and on all of our lives.”

Kioxia is planning a memorial event for Dr. Naruke and will announce details once finalized.