Masayoshi Son, Chairman and CEO of Japanese tech conglomerate SoftBank Group Corp., hinted at his possible successor during the company’s 45th Annual General Meeting.
SoftBank, which holds significant interests in technology and telecom in Japan and maintains a vast network of venture capital investments globally, has been led by Son since he founded the company in 1981.
Now 67, Son said he has potential successors “in mind,” adding, “They are [from] among our group.”
He noted that internal leaders are being “nurtured” but acknowledged that it is “very difficult until the very last minute to select [his] own successor.” When asked whether he should make an announcement now, Son replied, “I don’t want [them] to get complacent or get tired or get busy.”
“Of course, you need to anticipate some risk — my health or accidents. So I always know I have to be prepared myself,” he added, underscoring the importance of contingency planning.
When asked specifically about internal candidates, Son mentioned Junichi Miyakawa, head of SoftBank’s telecom unit, saying, “He’s doing well, and I have full trust in him.” However, he clarified that he has no immediate plans to step down, “I still have a passion, so I would like to do my best.”
During a presentation and Q&A session that lasted over 60 minutes, Son also outlined an ambitious vision to transform SoftBank into the world’s leading platform for “artificial super intelligence” within the next decade. He said he wants the company to become the central organiser of the AI industry, akin to how Microsoft, Amazon, and Google dominate their respective platforms.
This announcement comes as SoftBank resumes aggressive investment activity, including a $6.5 billion acquisition of US chip designer Ampere and up to $40 billion in new funding for OpenAI. Son said the group’s total commitment to OpenAI now stands at $32 billion since autumn 2024.
“I’m all in on OpenAI,” he told shareholders, expressing regret over not investing earlier. This renewed push follows years of caution after high-profile setbacks, such as the WeWork debacle. However, the successful 2023 IPO of chip designer Arm, which raised $5 billion, helped bolster SoftBank’s asset base. In June, the company also raised $4.8 billion by selling part of its stake in T-Mobile.
Son said SoftBank remains committed to “prudent investment,” aiming to balance bold bets with a strong financial foundation.
