Casio UK has promoted Hiroaki Kubo to managing director as the brand plots for further growth in the UK market.
Kubo has been with Casio since 1994 and was previously senior planning manager of the strategic planning division.
He said: “I am delighted to have accepted the position of managing director of Casio UK and hope to continue to grow the business in the UK through Casio’s innovative products and strong business growth strategy.”
Casio UK claims to have been enjoying strong growth over the past two years. While the company did not release figures for 2011, it revealed that sales registered a 109.7% uplift in 2010 with 1.07 million Casio watches sold in the UK that year leading to a total turnover of JPY1.99bn (£15.2m).
In the past six months Casio UK said that sales of its premium brands – G-Shock Premium, Baby-G Premium, Edifice and Pro-trek – have registered an increase in sales in the past six months. It is planning to launch a new premium women’s brand called Sheen in October.
Casio UK opened a store in London’s Covent Garden this month and said that it expects this new retail outlet to lead to a doubling of its profits as the store pushes sales of premium lines.
Casio UK head of marketing Tim Gould said: “We have invested heavily in corporate sponsorships and creative advertising campaigns across the Casio brand portfolio and have consequently seen a huge rise in sales for Casio’s premium products. We felt we needed to facilitate the demand by launching our first Casio Concept Store which will house the products in a bespoke environment that will continue to tell the Casio story”.
