Masayoshi Son

Chairman and CEO, SoftBank Group

Masayoshi Son founded the business that became SoftBank Group and leads its investment strategy. His career spans software distribution, telecommunications, internet companies and semiconductor design through Arm. In AI, his influence comes from financing, infrastructure commitments and the relationships between model developers, chip suppliers and capital providers. He is also chairman of Arm.

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Masayoshi Son
Photo: European Communities / EC Audiovisual Service; photo: Pierre Emmanuel DeletreeCC BY 4.0 · Displayed in grayscale

At a glance

Masayoshi Son founded the business that became SoftBank Group and leads its investment strategy. His career spans software distribution, telecommunications, internet companies and semiconductor design through Arm. In AI, his influence comes from financing, infrastructure commitments and the relationships between model developers, chip suppliers and capital providers. He is also chairman of Arm.

Current work
Chairman and CEO, SoftBank Group
Also
Chairman, Arm
Known for
Technology investment; telecommunications; AI infrastructure
Founded
Nihon SoftBank, 1981

Sources checked . Selected career background and milestones.

Career, in context.

Selected research, leadership and career milestones, newest first.

  1. Named chairman of the Stargate project

    OpenAI and SoftBank name Son chairman of Stargate. The announcement sets out an intended US AI infrastructure investment program; its headline commitment is not a measure of completed construction.

    Source: OpenAI and SoftBank ↗
  2. Becomes chairman of Arm Holdings plc

    SoftBank records Son’s appointment as chairman and director of Arm Holdings plc in August 2023, connecting his investment leadership with the semiconductor design company.

    Source: SoftBank Group ↗
  3. Takes founder director role at SoftBank Corp.

    Son becomes a board director and founder at the telecommunications company. SoftBank’s biography distinguishes this position from his executive role at the holding group.

    Source: SoftBank Group ↗
  4. Assumes current SoftBank Group executive title

    The official biography dates Son’s representative director, corporate officer, chairman and CEO position to November 2020, continuing his leadership of the group he founded.

    Source: SoftBank Group ↗
  5. Becomes ARM Holdings chairman

    Son takes the chairman and executive director role at ARM Holdings. The appointment extends his technology investment work into semiconductor intellectual property.

    Source: SoftBank Group ↗
  6. Leads Vodafone’s Japanese business

    Son becomes chairman, president and CEO of Vodafone K.K., the company later known as SoftBank Corp. The role expands his operating responsibilities in telecommunications.

    Source: SoftBank Group ↗
  7. Founds Nihon SoftBank

    Son establishes Nihon SoftBank, the predecessor of SoftBank Group. The founding begins the corporate platform behind his later telecom, internet and AI investments.

    Source: SoftBank Group ↗

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