Atsutoshi Nishida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Atsutoshi Nishida
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| 西田厚聰 | |
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Nishida at the World Economic Forum on 24 January 2013
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| Born | 29 December 1943 |
| Died | 8 December 2017 (aged 73) |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Alma mater | Waseda University University of Tokyo |
| Years active | 1975–2015 |
Atsutoshi Nishida (西田 厚聰, Nishida Atsutoshi, 29 December 1943 – 8 December 2017) was a Japanese business executive. He was a key leader at Toshiba, a well-known electronics company. Nishida played a big role in developing laptop computers. He also served as the company's president and chairman.
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Early Life and Education
Atsutoshi Nishida was born on December 29, 1943, in Mie Prefecture, Japan. He was a bright student who pursued higher education. He earned his first degree from Waseda University. After that, he continued his studies at the University of Tokyo. In 1970, shortly after finishing his education, he married an Iranian woman.
Career at Toshiba
Nishida began his career at Toshiba in 1975. At that time, he was living in Iran. He quickly showed his vision for new technology.
Pioneering Laptops
In the 1980s, Nishida strongly believed in the future of laptop computers. He pushed Toshiba to invest in making them. By 1984, his efforts paid off. He was made a general manager. His job was to sell personal computers for Toshiba Europe.
The very next year, in 1985, Toshiba released the Toshiba T1100. This was a direct result of Nishida's hard work. It was one of the first successful laptops. Later, Nishida moved back to Japan. He took on more responsibility for Toshiba's laptop division.
Leadership Roles
Nishida continued to rise through the ranks at Toshiba. In April 1992, he became president of Toshiba America Information Systems. He held this role until 1995. He returned to the position in 1997.
In the early 2000s, Nishida took on even more senior management jobs. He became the president of Toshiba in 2005. During his time as president, Toshiba made some big moves.
Key Decisions as President
- Acquiring Westinghouse: In 2006, Toshiba bought the Westinghouse Electric Corporation. This was a huge deal, costing about US$5.4 billion. Westinghouse is famous for its nuclear power technology.
- Ending HD DVD: In 2008, Toshiba stopped developing the HD DVD format. This decision came after a format war with Blu-ray.
In 2009, Norio Sasaki took over as president of Toshiba. Nishida then became the company's chairman. He stayed in this important role until 2013.
Later Years and Departure
Nishida continued to serve as an adviser to Toshiba. In 2015, some issues came to light regarding company profits. After an investigation, Nishida decided to leave his advisory role.
Death
Atsutoshi Nishida passed away on December 8, 2017. He was 73 years old. He died from a heart attack at Toshiba General Hospital in Tokyo.
