MITSUBISHI MATERIALS APPOINTS NEW PRESIDENT OF THE METALWORKING SOLUTIONS DIVISION TO ACCELERATE INTERNATIONAL GROWTH AND STRATEGIC EXPANSION

Japan, Tokyo March 9th, 2026 – Mitsubishi Materials Corporation announces the appointment of Mirko Merlo as President of its Metalworking Solutions Division, effective from April 1st, 2026. An accomplished executive with a strong track record in organizational transformation and value creation, Merlo will lead the division’s next phase of international expansion, focusing on high-growth and high-margin market segments. He succeeds Kazuo Ohara, who will retire after many years of dedicated service to the Group.

In his previous role as Chief Strategy and Sales Officer of the Metalworking Solutions Company, Mirko Merlo played a pivotal role in modernizing the organization’s operating model. Under his leadership, the company implemented major structural and operational improvements, including process optimization, integration of shared services and cost efficiency programs. These initiatives significantly strengthened the company’s resilience and long-term competitiveness.

In his new position, Mr. Merlo will oversee the continued international development in established and emerging markets. The division will continue to grow across Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Americas responding to increasingly sophisticated application requirements and growing sustainability expectations from customers worldwide.

Commenting on his appointment, Mirko Merlo said: “Together with Moldino and Mitsubishi Materials Hardmetal, we will leverage our robust technical capabilities and profound customer relationships to deliver innovative, high-performance solutions. Our focus will be on supporting demanding applications with a comprehensive, reliable service portfolio that generates measurable value.”

Tetsuya Tanaka, Chief Executive Officer and President of Mitsubishi Materials, added: “Mirko Merlo’s strategic vision and collaborative leadership will be instrumental in advancing our internationalization strategy and strengthening our market position. His strong focus on operational discipline, customer value, and sustainability supports both our short-term priorities and long-term objectives.”

This leadership transition reflects Mitsubishi Materials’ commitment to developing a resilient, more customer-centric organization capable of delivering high-impact technologies and services across global markets.