TOKYO, Jun. 25, 2010 (Kyodo News International) -- Softbank Corp. (OOTC:SFTBY) President Masayoshi Son said Friday he will begin next month training people within and outside of the mobile phone carrier and Internet conglomerate to be the next-generation leaders of the company, which he hopes will achieve a market value of 200 trillion yen in 30 years.
''I would like to create the second Masayoshi Son, and I am not only thinking of one person but several people to whom I can pass on (my leadership),'' said Son, who also doubles as the head of Softbank's mobile phone arm, Softbank Mobile Corp., which has been enjoying great success due to its marketing of Apple Inc.'s (NASDAQ:AAPL) popular iPhone handset and iPad tablet computer.
Son, delivering a speech about his vision and growth strategy 30 years later after the firm's shareholders meeting, said Softbank Academia will open next month with 300 students, of which 30 slots are allotted for non-Softbank employees, and Son himself will supervise the students once a week.
Details such as the school's location have yet to be decided, a Softbank spokesman said.
Son also said Softbank's target of a market value of 200 trillion yen in 2040 would be far more than its current market value of more than 2 trillion yen.
He voiced hope that Softbank could rank among the world's top 10 firms by putting strength in what he dubbed the ''information revolution,'' in reference to using information and communication to revolutionize people's way of life, and by seeking equal partnerships with other firms.
He said he aims to expand its group firms from about 800 to roughly 5,000 firms by 2040.
In fiscal 2009 ended in March, the company set a new high in group operating profit for the fifth consecutive year thanks to robust sales in the mobile phone business.
