Tokyo, May 12, 2026, 18:02 (JST)
DeNA on Tuesday announced founder Tomoko Namba is set to take over as president and CEO on June 27, bringing her back to lead the company as it pushes to ramp up efforts in gaming, AI, and new business areas. Shingo Okamura, who currently holds both roles, will step into the chairman position if shareholders sign off at the upcoming annual meeting.
No subtlety in the numbers. DeNA posted a weaker outlook for the year to March 2026: revenue slipped 9.9% to 147.7 billion yen, operating profit tumbled 35.5% to 18.69 billion yen, and profit attributable to owners dropped 21.3% to 19.05 billion yen. Slower momentum in its games segment, as the initial rush for “Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket” faded, weighed on results. gamebiz〖ゲームビズ〗
This isn’t just a superficial switch-up. DeNA pointed to rapid changes in its business environment, saying it needs to accelerate decision-making and overhaul both its structure and business model. Namba is set to steer that transformation, while Okamura will take charge of outreach with government, local officials, industry bodies, and other stakeholders.
Namba launched DeNA back in 1999, following a stint at McKinsey. Her influence reaches into government too: the Cabinet Office currently names her as a private-sector representative on the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy, with the designation “Founder and Executive Chairman of DeNA.” 内閣府ホームページ
She’s stepping back in just as the company ramps up its public push into artificial intelligence—tech that spits out code, text, and other outputs on demand. Namba put it plainly in a 2025 transcript: “DeNA will go all in on AI,” signaling a new “chapter 2” for the company. フルスイング – DeNA
Namba laid out a blunt vision at DeNA’s March AI Day: slash headcount handling current operations by about 50%, let AI pick up the slack, and free up those employees to launch new ventures, startups included. The real test for her—turning that pitch into actual results on the books.
It’s a patchwork picture for the financial base. Live streaming swung to profit, with sports and smart-city income getting a boost from strong home-game turnout at the Yokohama DeNA BayStars. Healthcare and new businesses, though, are still not in the black. DeNA is projecting revenue at 154 billion yen with operating profit at 15 billion yen for the year ending March 2027, but hasn’t set its dividend for the year.
Competition stretches beyond just a single peer group. In Japan’s internet and gaming sector, investors regularly track DeNA with rivals like Gree Holdings and CyberAgent. Big players—Square Enix and Konami—are in the mix as well, pushing for both market share and breakout titles. According to an IFIS report on DeNA, these companies routinely appear on lists of stocks watched together.
DeNA finished the session in Tokyo at 2,661 yen, slipping 0.05%. The key earnings and management updates only dropped after the bell, setting up the next trading day as the first to fully reflect the news.
Founder speed might not show up in the top line. Margins could stay squeezed if the games cycle stays soft, newer segments keep bleeding cash, or if AI improvements never reach end users. And the June 27 shareholder vote still needs to happen.
Namba’s task isn’t minor. The focus: turn DeNA’s AI drive into real products—beyond just efficiency tricks—all while making sure games and consumer services don’t slide deeper into the unpredictable swings of a hit-driven business.
