The Board of Directors of Osaka Gas decided today to appoint Mr. Hiroshi Ozaki to succeed Mr. Shibano as president of the company. The appointment takes effect on April 1.

Mr. Ozaki is currently Managing Director and Head of Commercial & Industrial Energy Business Unit. After joining the company in 1972, Ozaki has had wide-ranging experiences in such business fields as LNG terminal operations, LNG procurement, corporate planning, and most recently, gas marketing.

Mr. Ozaki also has international business experiences as a European representative based in London between 1984 and 1987 as well as manager LNG procurement and international investments. After his appointment as member of the board in 2002, he was seconded to the Japan Gas Association for three years as managing director for technical and international affairs. He was appointed Managing Director and Head of LNG Terminal & Power Generation Business Unit in 2005, and the current position in 2007.

Mr. Ozaki graduated from Tokyo University with a bachelor's degree in mathematical engineering and information physics in 1972. He also did graduate studies at the School of Electrical Engineering of Princeton University in the United States (1976 – 1977).

Ozaki was born in 1950. He is married with two sons.