Former Haier Asia Group CEO, Yoshiaki Ito has been named as President of ONE Championship (Japan), in a move to expand its reach into the country and other Asian nations in the near future.
In a statement on Tuesday, Ito said he will focus his efforts on developing the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA) in the Japanese market.
"I am elated to join ONE Championship, one of the greatest global sports brands. It’s amazing to be a part of the rapid growth of MMA in Asia," he said.
"Japan has always enjoyed sports entertainment and ONE Championship’s unique live event atmosphere is something I am delighted to share with Japanese fans," added the founder of X-TANK Consulting.
Ito was also a former Senior Vice President at Sony Pictures Entertainment. During his tenure at Haier, he was responsible for US$1.2 billion in revenue and over 6,400 employees.
Popularly known in inside circles as a business maverick, Ito’s business and leadership talent has immensely boosted the performance of every organisation he has led.
Born and raised in Bangkok, Thailand, Ito speaks three languages -- Japanese, Thai, and English.
He has also received various awards throughout his career including being named among the Top 100 global leaders/innovators of 2015 by Nikkei Business.
Meanwhile, ONE Championship CEO Victor Cui said the organisation would continue to scout top executives talents from various fields to become part of its elite senior management team.
"Yoshiaki Ito is an excellent asset to have on our team. He, along with our very capable leadership, will be responsible for taking our organization to the next level and beyond.
"We are excited at the possibilities and welcome Ito-san to the ONE Championship family,” he said.
ONE Championship is the largest sports media property in Asia. It is the first major MMA promotion to hold a live event in mainland China as well as Bangkok, Thailand with future markets in Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and Australia.
Its events are broadcasted to a potential one billion homes in over 118 countries worldwide.
Haider Yutim
Tue Nov 08 2016
ONE Championship (ONE), has just announced another key addition to its team of senior leaders with the appointment of Japanese executive Yoshiaki Ito as President of ONE Championship (Japan). - ONE photo
UTP introduced a first-of-its-kind Bachelor of Integrated Engineering with Honours
UTP has proudly unveiled Malaysia's first multidisciplinary engineering programme.
Biden to push for Gaza ceasefire after Israel-Lebanon deal
The US "will make another push, with Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and others, to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza," says Joe Biden.
JPS issues flood warning, 30 villages in Pasir Puteh expected to be inundated
Flooding is expected near Sungai Semerak, Pasir Puteh, affecting low-lying villages within 5km of the river, according to PRABN.
What Trump 2.0 could mean for trade, migrants, climate change and electric cars
Here's a summary of the policies Donald Trump has said he will pursue when he takes office on Jan. 20.
UN says Taliban detained journalists over 250 times in Afghanistan since takeover
The Taliban-led foreign ministry denies having arrested that number of journalists and added that those arrested had committed a crime.
TikTok becoming app of choice for criminals promoting investment scams - Police
Many users continue to be tricked and scammed even though police have repeatedly issued warnings about scams proliferating on social media.
MOE’s mental health screening identifies students with emotional challenges
Deputy Minister of Education says, those identified with severe emotional issues undergo screening twice a year.
Israel, Hezbollah agree to ceasefire brokered by US and France, to take effect Wednesday
Israel will gradually withdraw its forces over 60 days as Lebanon's army takes control of territory near its border with Israel to ensure that Hezbollah does not rebuild its infrastructure there.
'No one will win a trade war,' China says after Trump tariff threat
Donald Trump says he would impose the tariffs until China stops the flow of illegal drugs, particularly fentanyl, into the United States.
What has caused Pakistan's deadly clashes between police and supporters of Imran Khan?
Topping the demands of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party is the release of all its leaders, including Khan, who has been jailed on a series of corruption charges since August 2023.
Myanmar rebel army ready for dialogue with junta, with China's help
China puts pressure on rebels amid the rapid degeneration of the military, which Beijing has long seen as a guarantor of stability.
One woman or girl killed every 10 minutes by intimate partner or family member - UN
The report highlights that "60 per cent of all female homicides" are committed by "people closely related to them".
Malaysia ready to collaborate with South Korea on more substantial matters - PM
Malaysia seeks deeper collaboration with South Korea on digitalization, AI, and advanced learning curve discussions.
Sweden urges Chinese ship to return for undersea cable investigation
Two subsea cables, one linking Finland and Germany and the other connecting Sweden to Lithuania, were damaged in less than 24 hours.
![[COLUMNIST] Building more highways won’t solve traffic congestion - reducing demand will](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-04/51681984153_AlirantrafikLebuh.jpg "[COLUMNIST] Building more highways won’t solve traffic congestion - reducing demand will")
[COLUMNIST] Building more highways won’t solve traffic congestion - reducing demand will
It is clear that adding more lanes and highways doesn't work, because we are still attempting the same approach to solve the issue.
Israel poised to approve ceasefire with Hezbollah, Israeli official says
Israel's security cabinet is expected to discuss and likely approve the text at a meeting chaired by Benjamin Netanyahu, says an official.
Hyundai to invest RM2.16 bil in Malaysia through strategic partnership with INOKOM
This investment includes efforts to upgrade INOKOM's existing assembly capacity to meet Hyundai's automotive needs.
‘C4Cinta’ sets record as highest-grossing Malaysian Tamil film
'C4Cinta', directed by young filmmaker Karthik Shamalan, has set a new benchmark in Malaysian Tamil cinema.
Man charged with mother's murder, storing body in freezer
The court denied bail and scheduled case mention on Feb 7 for the submission of forensic, autopsy, and chemist reports.
Abolition of examination in schools to reduce pressure on pupils - Fadhlina
The classroom assessment approach offers a much more interesting learning ecosystem, says Fadhlina Sidek.