Canon EMEA President & CEO Sam Yoshida Strengthens Regional Growth Agenda with First Visit to Middle East, Türkiye & Africa Headquarters in Dubai

Canon Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) President & CEO, Shinichi ‘Sam’ Yoshida, has completed his first official visit to the company’s regional headquarters in Dubai, since assuming leadership in March 2025. The visit underscores Canon’s long-term commitment to the Middle East, Africa and Türkiye as one of its fastest-growing markets.

The visit comes as Canon projects double digit growth in Middle East & Türkiye and in Central & North Africa for 2025, supported by expansion across consumer and business segments. These forecasts align with strong regional economic growth projections of 3.5% for the Middle East, 3% for Türkiye, and over 4% in Africa. The timing reflects Canon's confidence in the region's potential as a key driver of future expansion.

“The Middle East, Türkiye, and Africa represent one of the most exciting growth frontiers for Canon,” said Yoshida. “Its rapid digital transformation, thriving creator economy and smart city initiatives align perfectly with our strengths in imaging and innovation. Canon invests substantially in R&D with over 8% of global sales yielding more than 3,000 US patents annually. My visit was about listening, engaging and reinforcing our commitment to customers, partners and employees.”  

During his regional tour, Yoshida met with customers, partners, and over 500 employees across the region physically and remotely, highlighting his focus on two-way communication and customer-centric leadership. He explored growth opportunities in healthcare imaging, commercial printing, digital entertainment, broadcasting, and security solutions.  

Canon continues to drive sustainability and community development across the region, guided by Kyosei. This philosophy extends beyond business practices and actively contributes to the well-being of communities through various empowerment initiatives.

Miraisha Programme – providing training and business opportunities to over 7,000 people in Africa, now in its 10th year.

Canon Young People Programme – empowering 1,500 young changemakers across 33 countries.

Women Who Empower – supporting women in imaging and print industries across the Middle East and Africa.

Canon’s EMEA business spans 120 countries with 12,300 employees. Under Yoshida’s leadership, the company is reinforcing its core imaging and printing strengths while expanding into industrial printing, B2B solutions and information management technologies.

His approach is guided by five core principles: establishing trust and integrity, fostering genuine two-way communication, creating customer advocates, delivering consistent financial growth, and pushing creative boundaries through innovation.