Olympus 2002 Annual Report Download - page 7

1980s. We now possess 80% of the technology required for commercialization
in this field. From the standpoints of production and marketing, our strength
lies in our ability to utilize our network and the production infrastructure of
the medical products business.
By making use of this synergy, we aim to create a structure in which each
of the three companies contributes to profit in a balanced manner. From a
profit structure that is overly dependent on a single business, without the
cultivation of profitable new businesses, Olympus cannot set the stage for
further growth.
Q: Finally, what message do you have for shareholders?
What we are aiming for is a “Value Creating Company.” You might
think that “value creation” means rising share prices. But the value
creation that Olympus envisions is one in which we offer new value in
the course of our business activities, and that brings about a lifestyle of health
and happiness for all people. It is also a corporation in which all stakeholders,
including employees, clients and end users, have pride in the Olympus brand.
This will strengthen profitability, growth potential and brand power, and lead
finally to maximization of long-term returns for shareholders.
Former President Masatoshi Kishimoto built Olympus’s solid profit foun-
dation during the long period of economic depression in Japan that followed
the collapse of the bubble economy. My role is to try and push forward even
more aggressively as a leading global corporation, building on this strong foun-
dation. By the numbers, my goal is to raise the current ROE of 5.2% to 20%
or more, a standard in line with that of leading global corporations. To make
this a reality, Olympus is devoting its efforts to new value creation.
July 2002
Tsuyoshi Kikukawa
President
The value creation that Olympus envi-
sions is one in which we offer new value
in the course of our business activities.
This will lead to maximization of returns
for shareholders.
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