(Houston, Texas) ABS has promoted Hitoshi Matsumoto to the position of Country Manager for Japan, effective 1 September.  He replaces long serving Country Manager Ken Okabayashi who is retiring from day-to-day responsibilities after 14 years in the position but will remain in the newly created position of Business Director, focusing on maintaining the many close relationships with ＆#118alued ABS clients in Japan and also identifying potential new areas of activity for the society.

 

Matsumoto has been Assistant Country Manager for Japan since January. Coming from a shipbuilding background, he joined ABS in 2001 as a surveyor, initially assigned to Kure, Japan then transferred to Mokpo, Korea. He was promoted to Senior Surveyor in 2005 and worked in Chengxi and Nantong, China before undertaking management training in Singapore and Houston.  In 2007, he became Principal Surveyor assigned to Yokohama.

 

Founded in 1862, ABS is a leading international classification society devoted to promoting the security of life, property and the marine environment through the development and verification of standards for the design, construction and operational maintenance of marine-related facilities.