Well-Traveled Sanwa Exec Gets a Key Post in California

Kazuyoshi Kuwahata has worked in London, Tokyo, and Los Angeles in his 23-year career at Sanwa Bank Ltd.

He hopes his experience comes in handy as he assumes a top position in Sanwa Bank's California subsidiary.

"One of the important areas for California is the Pacific Rim business, so my international background will certainly help," Mr. Kuwahata said.

The Sanwa Bank California unit announced last week that Mr. Kuwahata, 46, had been appointed head of its office of the president. He also was named one of three senior executive vice presidents reporting to chief executive Tamio "Tom" Takakura.

Mr. Kuwahata, 46, will oversee corporate planning, treasury, and financial management for the Los Angeles-based bank, which has assets of $7.7 billion and will rank as California's fourth-largest commercial bank after the merger of Wells Fargo & Co. and First Interstate Bancorp.

The Tokyo-based parent, with assets of $544 billion, is one of the world's three largest banks.

Three years after getting his start with Sanwa in Tokyo, Mr. Kuwahata was transferred to the California bank to be a calling officer. Working from a Los Angeles office, he helped develop banking business with midsize companies.

From 1990 to 1995, Mr. Kuwahata worked in London as head of the parent bank's international finance operations in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. He subsequently was transferred to Tokyo, where he supervised foreign exchange and fixed-income activities. He holds a degree in economics from Tokyo's Keio University.

Mr. Takakura noted that about 15% of Sanwa Bank California's revenues and profits come from its 12 branches in communities with sizable Asian populations.

He added that about half of all California companies do international business. And rising trade with the Pacific Rim has been a bright spot in California's economy.

Mr. Kuwahata also will help Sanwa Bank California put together its new three-year business plan, due for completion within a couple of months.

One element of that plan will be to find more profitable uses for some of Sanwa Bank California's excess capital.

Mr. Takakura said Sanwa is open to using the capital for acquisitions, boosting assets, or developing alternative delivery or fee-generating services. While no acquisitions are imminent, Sanwa has a history of making them.

Sanwa Bank California tripled in size in 1986 when it acquired $3 billion-asset Lloyds Bank of California.

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