Akira Matsumoto

Akira Matsumoto is a CEO who's built his reputation on swooping in to revive the fortunes of troubled companies. He describes himself as a "big talker", and he backs up that talk by revolutionizing how his company is run, and then delivering big results. 8 years ago, he took the helm at a major snack food company, which has had growth in sales and profits for the last 8 fiscal years. His management style has won him many admirers. When a typhoon devastates Japan's potato crop, it triggers a plunge in potato chip sales. Meanwhile, the company faces tough conditions in foreign markets. We followed Matsumoto closely as he tackled these challenges…by turning big talk into big moves! Meet a model CEO for the Japanese business world of today.