MIMAKI NAMES KOHEI KOBAYASHI AS MD

Mimaki Australia has appointed Kohei Kobayashi as its new managing director, effective immediately. Kobayashi joins from Mimaki Europe, and comes after 15 years with Mimaki.

With a decade long career in various leadership roles within the Mimaki Group, the company says he brings “a wealth of experience” in sales channel management, direct sales, market research, and marketing strategy development to his new role.

Kobayashi's journey with Mimaki began in 2009, when he started as an area sales representative in the Kansai region of Japan. His dedication and strategic acumen saw him rise through the ranks, culminating in key positions such as manager of Sign Graphics Global Marketing and area sales manager for Mimaki Europe.

During his time at Mimaki Europe, Kobayashi was executive assistant for the managing director, where he spearheaded compliance projects and inventory reduction initiatives. His contributions were instrumental in driving business growth, and ensuring operational efficiency across diverse markets, including Central Asia, and South Eastern Europe.

According to Mimaki, Kobayashi’s extensive experience in product planning and marketing strategy development will enable him to steer Mimaki Australia towards continued success. As manager of Sign Graphics Global Marketing at Mimaki Engineering, he led several initiatives, including the launch of innovative products such as the UCJV series and SWJ-320EA printer.

Commenting on his appointment, Kobayashi said, “I am deeply honoured to lead Mimaki Australia and build upon its legacy of excellence in the wide-format printing industry. With a relentless focus on customer satisfaction and market innovation, I am committed to driving growth and fostering meaningful partnerships that will elevate our brand presence across Australia.”

Kobayashi holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Hosei University in Tokyo, Japan, and possesses “exemplary” English communication skills.