Hitoshi Kaguchi

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

Representative Director, Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI); President & CEO, MHI Energy Systems

Dr. Hitoshi Kaguchi was elected Representative Director of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) in June 2021, where he serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer. Since April 2021, Dr. Kaguchi also leads MHI’s global Energy Systems business, which includes highly efficient power generation technologies and innovative solutions that drive the energy transition forward, as President & CEO. Prior to his corporate roles, Dr. Kaguchi focused on nuclear plant design for over 30 years, serving as Director of the Nuclear Plant Component Designing Department from 2008 to 2012. In 2012, he was project director for a replacement steam generator project to Mitsubishi Nuclear Systems, Inc. in the United States. Before his director post, he was the section manager and deputy department manager in charge of reactor vessel, main coolant piping, and steam generator design (2002 - 2008). Dr. Kaguchi joined MHI in 1984, and started his career as a reactor vessel designer in the advanced nuclear plant design unit, developing the Monju prototype fast breeder reactor (FBR) for 17 years. He has also worked on vacuum vessel design for fusion reactors in Japan with an emphasis in structural analysis and integrity assessment of nuclear components. Dr. Kaguchi earned a Bachelor’s degree (1982) and Master’s degree (1984) in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Tokyo in Japan. From 1991 to 1994, he attended the University of London’s Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, and earned a Doctorate of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering.

Sessions With Hitoshi Kaguchi

Tuesday, 7 March

  • 04:05pm - 04:45pm (CST) / 07/mar/2023 10:05 pm - 07/mar/2023 10:45 pm

    Company Strategies to Lower Emissions
    Energy Transition/Climate & Sustainability
    In 2020/21, the pandemic brought accelerated investor interest in climate and ESG and fueled the narrative around the decline of fossil fuels (and fossil fuel producers). In 2022, these trends seemed to slow and—in some quarters—even reverse. The war in Ukraine revived the specters of inadequate energy supplies and high prices. There was more acceptance that conventional fuels will play a key role in the energy mix for years to come and this in turn raised concerns about underinvestment in existing energy systems. After several years of poor returns and share price underperformance, oil and gas companies—by a wide margin—led the market. While the direction of travel appears to be clear—increasing focus on climate and sustainability—the pace seems less certain. The focus has returned to the trilemma of energy security, affordability and sustainability, and the need to balance the energy transition with sustained investment in conventional fuels. Climate-focused policies remain uneven globally. COP27 responded to some longstanding demands but prompted new questions on how the promises will be implemented. For investors, the correlation between sustainability and market performance is much less evident, raising concerns around how to generate returns while meeting demands for sustainable portfolios. How should companies allocate capital between conventional and newer technologies? What role should conventional energy producers play in delivering the new energy technologies that are needed for the energy transition? How far can electrification realistically go to achieve net-zero goals? Are digital technologies delivering their promise to support sustainability goals? Is diversification the right approach, and will investors reward it?