Pokemon USA, Inc. has announced that Akira Chiba, who has led the American branch of the company since 2002, will resign at the end of the year. Chiba joined Pokemon USA when the company's New York office was established -- the brand's first corporate headquarters outside of Japan and helped to re-establish Pokemon as a successful global brand.
Chiba will be replaced by Kenji Okubo, previously exec VP and head of Pokemon USA's Seattle office, effective Jan. 1, 2008. Okubo will manage the company's operations in New York, Seattle and London, and will oversee all Pokemon initiatives outside of Japan, including the Pokemon Trading Card Game, the long-running animated TV series, North American and European licensing, and the recently launched Pokemon Trading Figure Game. Prior to joining Pokemon USA in 2004, Okubo worked at The Pokemon Company headquarters in Tokyo as director of international business.
