Itoki Establishes Chief AI Officer (CAIO) Position, Placing AI at the Core of Management

ITOKI Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President and Representative Director: Hiroshi Minato) is pleased to announce the establishment of the Chief AI Officer (CAIO) position, placing AI at the core of its management transformation, and the appointment of Takashi Takeuchi, who will be promoted to Senior Managing Executive Officer, to this role effective July 1, 2026.

The company views AI not merely as a tool for operational efficiency, but as a critical theme for transforming management decisions, business processes, human resource development, and customer value creation. As General Manager of the DX Division, Takeuchi will be responsible for promoting the company-wide AI strategy, developing the AI utilization infrastructure, strengthening AI governance, implementing AI in internal operations, and fostering AI talent. Under the CAIO, the company will drive company-wide AX (AI Transformation) and enhance the execution of management strategies based on an AI shift.

Background for Establishing the CAIO Position

With the advancement of technologies such as generative AI, AI has become a management theme that influences a company's competitiveness and organizational capabilities. Beyond deciding which operations to introduce AI into, how to connect a company's data, talent, and business processes to AI utilization is a crucial challenge that will shape future growth.

For ITOKI, the question of whether to introduce AI is no longer up for debate. The important issue is how to utilize AI safely and practically to drive management transformation and create customer value.

In January 2026, the company announced its AI-shift management strategy, declaring its policy to "place AI at the core of management." Furthermore, by renovating its core systems to a cloud ERP, data from supply chains to accounting and management has become interconnected, and the development of a company-wide data infrastructure, the foundation for AI utilization, is progressing.

Against this backdrop, ITOKI has established the Chief AI Officer (CAIO) position to be responsible for converting AI utilization into management strategy execution.

Role of the CAIO

The CAIO will serve as the head of company-wide AI strategy promotion at ITOKI, leading the development of AI utilization infrastructure and internal implementation, centered within the DX Division. The main roles are as follows:

- Formulation and promotion of company-wide AI strategy

- Development of AI utilization infrastructure and data utilization infrastructure

- Development of AI governance, security, and usage rules

- Implementation of generative AI and SaaS-native AI in internal operations

- Cultivation of AI talent and fostering an AI utilization culture

- Creation and execution support for AI utilization themes in each department

- Company-wide deployment of AI utilization knowledge gained internally

Under the CAIO, ITOKI will connect AI utilization not just to individual departmental initiatives but to company-wide operational transformation. By having the DX Division handle the AI utilization infrastructure and promotion functions, and by establishing a system where each department can utilize AI in its respective operations and customer touchpoints, the company will accelerate company-wide AX.

AI Management Promotion System

Takashi Takeuchi, Senior Managing Executive Officer, joined ITOKI in October 2023 with the aim of promoting DX. He has over 20 years of experience in enterprise SaaS at foreign companies such as Oracle Japan, bringing deep knowledge and consulting skills in DX and the subscription economy. He has been promoting the renovation of core systems and IT infrastructure, the development of a company-wide data utilization platform, and business process transformation as the General Manager of the DX Division. Going forward, as CAIO, he will strengthen the strategy and execution system for safe and practical company-wide AI utilization, building upon the data and IT infrastructure developed so far.

The company also has over 100 engineers, and it will strengthen the talent base supporting AI utilization in each department by training these individuals to become AI engineers and AI experts.

Priority Areas to be Promoted Under the New System

1. Promotion of Company-wide AX

Expand the use of generative AI and SaaS-native AI in internal operations to advance operational sophistication and improve productivity in a wide range of areas, including document creation, information retrieval, sales support, marketing, support, design and proposal work, and administrative tasks.

2. Development of Secure AI Utilization Infrastructure

Establish an AI infrastructure that can safely utilize internal information, creating an environment where accumulated knowledge such as regulations, manuals, past documents, proposals, and design information can be utilized across the company. Concurrently, establish rules and governance for AI usage, aiming for a state where all employees can use AI with peace of mind.

3. Cultivation of AI Talent and Fostering an AI Utilization Culture

Promote the development of AI talent through training, community activities, and sharing of practical examples, so that AI is not just handled by specialized personnel but becomes a tool utilized by all employees in their work. In particular, strengthen the system that supports company-wide AI utilization from a technical perspective by training the more than 100 engineers within the company to become AI engineers and AI experts.

4. Operational Transformation Leveraging the Company-wide Data Infrastructure

Utilize the data infrastructure developed through the renovation of core systems and IT infrastructure to connect operational data such as estimates, sales, accounting, inventory, and customer touchpoints to AI utilization. This will not only improve operational efficiency but also promote advanced decision-making and value creation across departments.

5. Alignment with AI-Shift Management Strategy

Under its AI-shift management strategy, ITOKI is working to improve customer value in office design and work styles, in addition to implementing AI in internal operations.

In initiatives such as the development of the AI solution "ITOKI OFFICE AI AGENTS," the company is proceeding with development led internally, leveraging its accumulated office data and facility management expertise. The CAIO will support AI development in these business departments from the perspectives of company-wide AI strategy, AI utilization infrastructure, AI governance, and talent development.

Comment from Takashi Takeuchi

AI is not just a means of improving operational efficiency; it is a foundation that fundamentally changes a company's competitiveness. It has the power to significantly transform corporate decision-making, business processes, work styles, and the creation of customer value.

At ITOKI, we have been developing the data infrastructure that serves as the foundation for AI utilization through the renovation of our core systems and IT infrastructure. Going forward, we will leverage this infrastructure to create an environment where all employees can safely and effectively utilize AI, and we will train our more than 100 engineers to become core personnel for AI utilization.

As CAIO, I will promote the company-wide AI strategy from the DX Division and deploy the knowledge gained internally throughout the company. By placing AI at the core of our management, we will accelerate ITOKI's own transformation and connect it to the creation of new value for our customers.

Profile of Takashi Takeuchi

Takashi Takeuchi

ITOKI Co., Ltd.

Senior Managing Executive Officer

General Manager, DX Division

CAIO (Chief AI Officer)

With over 20 years of experience in enterprise SaaS at foreign companies such as Oracle Japan, he possesses deep knowledge and consulting skills in DX and the subscription economy. In October 2023, he was appointed Executive Officer and General Manager of DX Promotion Department, DX Promotion Division, with the aim of advancing ITOKI's DX. Currently, as Senior Managing Executive Officer and General Manager of the DX Division, he is promoting the renovation of core systems and IT infrastructure, the development of a company-wide data utilization platform, and business process transformation. He will assume the position of CAIO (Chief AI Officer) in July 2026.

About ITOKI

ITOKI Co., Ltd. was founded in 1890. With the mission statement "Designing Tomorrow's 'Work,'" the company supports the creation of various "spaces," "environments," and "places" by leveraging its strengths in "AI x Design based on PEOPLE," including the manufacturing and sales of office furniture, office space design, work style consulting, office data analysis services, as well as furniture for remote work and home study, and equipment for public and logistics facilities.

In recent years, the company has focused on maximizing human capital by making employee engagement one of its key management indicators, investing in office environments, strengthening internal communication, and promoting DE&I. Furthermore, through the development of environmentally friendly sustainable products and the promotion of resource circulation, ITOKI aims to realize a society where "people are vibrant and the earth is vibrant."