Sammy CEO takes over as Sega chairman

Japanese publisher Sega has announced that Sammy CEO Hajime Satomi is to take over the role of chairman at the company, replacing current chairman Hideki Sato, following Sammy's purchase of the top shareholding in Sega last year.

Satomi had indicated shortly after the share purchase, which gave Sammy a 22 per cent holding, that he wanted to join the Sega board as soon as possible in order to pursue his company's plans for the publisher.

As yet it's not entirely clear what Sammy will do with Sega, although it's been stated that the company - which specialises in arcade machines and Pachinko gambling machines, as well as operating a small but quite successful game publishing division of its own - wants Sega to focus increasingly on its profitable arcade game business and to develop games for the Sammy Atomiswave low cost arcade systems.

Sammy is also still considering how to consolidate its business interest in the firm, with options on the table including a full merger between the two companies or the formation of a holding company.

The appointment of Satomi as chairman is a key step in any of these plans, and the changes at Sega which he has hinted at so far are likely to accelerate in their implementation from now on.

Former Sega chairman Hideki Sato, who has stepped down to make way for Satomi, will now serve as vice chairman, while Hisao Oguchi will remain in his position as president at the company.