David Rosen

From Sega Retro

Davidrosen.jpg
David Rosen
Company(ies): Sega of America
Role(s): Executive

David Rosen is an American businessman who became the chief executive officer of Japanese video game company Sega in 1965. He retired from the company as Chairman in 1996.

From 1949 to 1952, Rosen served in the United States Air Force during the Korean War[1], and having spent most of his time during the conflict in Japan, founded a company called Rosen Enterprises in 1954. Among other things, Rosen Enterprises specialised in importing automated photo booths to allow the Japanese public to get photographic ID cards, later entering the entertainment market as more and more Japanese earned disposable income[1].

Shooting games imported from the US became big business thanks to Rosen Enterprises, with virtually every city in Japan getting a dedicated arcade[2]. Other companies, including Taito and Nihon Goraku Bussan (which at this point had sizable jukebox operations) attempted to enter the market, and in October 1965 it was proposed that Rosen Enterprises would merge with Nihon Goraku Bussan, creating Sega Enterprises Ltd.[3] Following the merger, Rosen became both CEO and president of the newly formed company[2].

Rosen was instrumental in forming NAMA, the first Japanese game manufacturer's assocation. He was the first chairman of the group[4].

Sega wanted to go public in Japan, but the difficulties of having a foreign-owned coin-op company being publically owned meant Sega was bought by media conglomerate Gulf+Western instead. Rosen remained president and CEO of Sega during this period.

Rosen announced his decision to depart the company at the end of 1983, falling back into a consulting role while persuing other interests[4], with his position filled by Jeffrey Rochlis. This didn't last long, as wanting to cut down costs, Gulf+Western sold Sega to Bally, and in March 1984, Rosen purchased the shares back from Bally with the head of a company Rosen purchased in 1979, Hayao Nakayama, Shoichiro Irimajiri and of the chairman of CSK Corporation's He's friend, Isao Okawa[5].

He was shunted down into the position of 4th President. In 1986, Rosen became the head of Sega of America after Sega went public in Japan as a corporation and split off into three divisions.

He remained at the head of Sega of America until 1989 when he hired Michael Katz as the new president. In 1991 Tom Kalinske as the new president. He shunted down into the position of 3rd President. He stayed on shunted down as 4th president of Sega of America until he retired on July 15, 1996.

Magazine articles

Main article: David Rosen/Magazine articles.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Next Generation, "December 1996" (US; 1996-11-19), page 9
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Next Generation, "December 1996" (US; 1996-11-19), page 10
  3. ↑ Next Generation, "December 1996" (US; 1996-11-19), page 11
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 File:CashBox US 1983-11-12.pdf
  5. ↑ Next Generation, "December 1996" (US; 1996-11-19), page 12


Presidents of Sega Enterprises USA
Gene Lipkin (1985-1986) | Ned DeWitt | Tom Petit (1988-1994) | Alan Stone (1994-1996) | Howell Ivy (1996-2004) |

Co-president: David Rosen (1985-1996)

Presidents of Sega of America
Bruce Lowry (1986-1989) | | Michael Katz (1989-1990) | Tom Kalinske (1990-1996) | Bernie Stolar (1998-1999) | Peter Moore (1999-2003) | Hideaki Irie (2003-2005) | Simon Jeffery (2005-2009) | Mike Hayes (2009-2012) | John Cheng (2012-2018) | Ian Curran (2018)

Co-president: David Rosen (1986-1996)

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