Masaru Kawaguchi

Masaru Kawaguchi serves as President and CEO of Bandai Namco Holdings, one of the world's most diverse entertainment companies. The group manages an extraordinary portfolio of intellectual properties: Gundam (the best-selling mecha franchise in history), Dragon Ball, Pac-Man, Tekken, Tales of, Dark Souls/Elden Ring (developed by FromSoftware, in which Bandai Namco invested), and dozens of other franchises. These IPs are monetized across toys and collectibles, video games, anime production, and amusement facilities. Bandai Namco's business model centers on maximizing the lifetime value of its IP portfolio by connecting entertainment experiences across physical and digital touchpoints. A Gundam fan might watch the anime, buy the model kit, play the video game, and visit the Gundam theme park — each touchpoint reinforcing engagement with the franchise. This IP-centric approach generates high returns on creative investment. Kawaguchi's key decisions involve IP portfolio management and new franchise development, the balance between physical products (toys/models) and digital entertainment (games), Elden Ring franchise expansion, international market growth, and navigating the evolving anime and gaming markets.