DIC 2021 New Year’s Message

The following is a summary of DIC President and CEO Kaoru Ino’s New Year’s Message:

As you all know, all too well, 2020 was a very challenging year, marked by the new Coronavirus. First, I would like to thank each and every member, in each and every country, for your outstanding efforts to effectively manage our businesses, while keeping Group member infections to minimum: Thank you all very much!

Despite the impact of the new Coronavirus, we have established our basic strategies of Value Transformation and New Pillar Creation, within the DIC111 Medium-Term Management Plan, to build a "corporate structure that is more resilient to changes in the macro environment."

As we assess our progress two years into the current Medium-Term Management Plan, it is obvious to me that we must urgently implement new measures based on these strategies. I’d like to share my thoughts on how we should focus our efforts on the practical realization of these goals.

Broadly speaking, I believe the results of the 2020 U.S. presidential election signal a clear global realignment towards multilateralism and free trade. Moreover, I believe we’ll see enhanced interests in pursuing greater sustainability, inspired by broad public demand. We must all recognize and embrace mankind’s inevitable determination to move forward.

Notably, we are currently witnessing the rapid rise of greater environmental consciousness and the creation of an epoch-making digital economy. We must anticipate the expanding business areas into which the DIC Group can actively expand in the very near future.

We must embrace these radical changes in the business environment as new business opportunities. And, once again, we must redouble our efforts to enhance the social value of our products and services, while simultaneously boosting their economic value, on a global scale.

Once we finalize the Colors and Effects acquisition, in the first quarter of fiscal 2021, we’ll re-examine the budget. At that juncture, we’ll review potential pandemic impacts and the state of the economic recovery.

While 2021 may present many challenges, I see tremendous opportunity. Let’s all strive to grow our businesses, while maintaining proper pandemic prevention measures. Today’s a new day so be proactive!

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