AKIO MIMURA

Served as chairman and president of Nippon Steel Corp. Mimura entered the company in 1963 (when it was Fuji Iron & Steel) at age 22, directly after completing college, and became president in 2003 and chairman in 2008. He was the company's first chief executive to meet with foreign investors outside of Japan. He has also held leadership roles with major steel organizations such as the Japan Iron and Steel Federation and the World Steel Association.

Nippon Steel Corp., formed by a merger between Yawata Steel and Fuji Steel in 1970, is headquartered in Tokyo. The company, along with its subsidiaries, produces steel materials, new materials and chemicals and does engineering and construction, urban development and computer systems engineering and consulting.