Casio CEO and chairman dead at 89

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Jun 21, 2018

Watchmaker Casio has announced the death of its chairman and CEO Kazuo Kashio, who passed away on 18 June at the age of 89.

The cause of death was pneumonia, according to reports.

He founded the Japanese company in 1957 together with his three brothers, and became the third president of Casio in December 1988. He was promoted to chairman and CEO of Casio in 2015.

A firm believer of innovation, he was credited with the creation of the shock-resistant Casio G-SHOCK, a watch that overturned the conventional idea of the "watch as a fragile, valuable item”, and led the development of the personal calculator Casio Mini in 1972.

“He devoted his life to the creation of new products that help improve people's lives and learning. He led the Casio management team for 27 years, overseeing the company’s evolution from its foundations laid by former president Tadao Kashio,” said the watchmaker in a statement.

Casio timepieces are well known in the fashion industry for their retro look and functionality, enjoying enduring popularity as a fashion statement.

The Casio F-91W become the quintessential 80s wristwatch, while the G-SHOCK line became a favourite in the 90s for its hard wearing qualities.

The four Kashio brothers transformed the Japanese company into a global business with $3 billion in annual sales of digital watches, cameras, calculators, electronic keyboards and high-speed printers.