SoftBank Group Announces Management Transition
SoftBank Group Corp. (“SoftBank”) today announced that the company and Marcelo Claure have mutually agreed to part ways after a successful nine-year partnership. In conjunction with Mr. Claure’s departure, Michel Combes has been appointed as CEO of SoftBank Group International (“SBGI”). In this position, he will oversee SoftBank Group International’s operating and investment portfolio*.
Masayoshi Son, Representative Director, Corporate Officer, Chairman & CEO of SoftBank Group Corp., said, “Marcelo has made many contributions to SoftBank during his time here and we thank him for his dedication and wish him continued success in his future endeavors. I have great confidence in Michel Combes and the talented SoftBank team to continue with the great work we have underway at SBGI.”
Mr. Claure said, “I will forever be grateful for my experience at SoftBank over the last nine years. I have had the opportunity to collaborate with some of the world’s great executives and entrepreneurs, and tackle several immense professional challenges, which makes the success we achieved together that much more rewarding. Beyond the value we have created for SoftBank stockholders, we have invested in some of the most innovative and disruptive companies that will be industry leaders for decades to come. I am particularly grateful to Masayoshi Son, who gave me the opportunity to thrive at SoftBank and served as a mentor and friend during my tenure.”
Mr. Combes said, “I am extremely grateful to Masayoshi Son for this opportunity and to Marcelo for his friendship and partnership.”
As CEO of SBGI and Corporate Officer, Executive Vice President & COO of SoftBank, Mr. Claure helped lead highly consequential projects over the last several years, including the turnaround of Sprint and the T-Mobile/Sprint merger, the successful repositioning of WeWork, the launch of Latin America’s largest venture capital fund, and the launch of the SB Opportunity Fund to invest in underrepresented racial minorities.
*SBGI includes SoftBank Latin America Funds and the SB Opportunity Fund.
Michel Combes Biographical Information
Mr. Combes has significant leadership experience at multinational companies across industries. He joined SBGI as President in April 2020 and serves on several boards of directors of SoftBank portfolio companies, including WeWork Inc., OneWeb, SoFi Technologies, Inc, Contentsquare, Jellysmack and Swile. Mr. Combes also serves on the boards of directors of Philip Morris International and Etisalat Group.
Before joining SBGI, Mr. Combes served as CEO of Sprint. Before Sprint, Mr. Combes served as CEO of several companies, including Altice, Alcatel-Lucent and Vodafone Europe. Mr. Combes is a graduate of École Polytechnique, Télécom ParisTech and Paris Dauphine University.
About SoftBank Group
The SoftBank Group invests in breakthrough technology to improve the quality of life for people around the world. The SoftBank Group is comprised of SoftBank Group Corp. (TOKYO: 9984), an investment holding company that includes stakes in telecommunications, internet services, AI, smart robotics, IoT and clean energy technology providers; the SoftBank Vision Funds, which are investing more than US$140 billion to help extraordinary entrepreneurs transform industries and shape new ones; the US$5 billion SoftBank Latin America Fund, the largest venture fund in that region; the US$3 billion SoftBank Latin America Fund II; and the SB Opportunity Fund, a US$100 million fund investing in Black, Latinx and Native American founders in the U.S. To learn more, please visit https://group.softbank/en.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220127006063/en/
Contact information
Japan:
sbpr@softbank.co.jp
+81 3 6889 2300
United States:
Sard Verbinnen & Co
Paul Kranhold / Benjamin Spicehandler / Hannah Dunning
SoftBank-SVC@sardverb.com
For Claure Group LLC:
Abernathy MacGregor
Tom Johnson
tbj@abmac.com
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
First Cessna SkyCourier Delivered into Mexico, Expanding Air Freight Capabilities for FlexCoah22.12.2025 18:13:00 CET | Press Release
The first Cessna SkyCourier in Mexico was recently delivered to cargo transportation provider FlexCoah for use by the company’s aviation subsidiary, Altair. The aircraft — a freighter variant — will expand the company’s air freight capabilities throughout the country. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251222890759/en/ First Cessna SkyCourier delivered into Mexico, expanding air freight capabilities for FlexCoah (Photo Credit: Textron Aviation) The Cessna SkyCourier is designed and manufactured by Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company. “The Cessna SkyCourier’s combination of reliability, payload capacity and mission flexibility makes it a powerful asset for operators looking to scale their operations while maintaining cost-efficiency,” said Lannie O’Bannion, senior vice president, Sales & Marketing. “The delivery of the Cessna SkyCourier to FlexCoah reflects the aircraft’s growing role in tran
Proudly Produced in Donegal: ProAmpac Invests in the Future of Food Board Manufacturing22.12.2025 17:34:00 CET | Press Release
ProAmpac, a global leader in flexible packaging and material science, is strengthening its operational footprint with the expansion of Food Board manufacturing capabilities at its Donegal, Ireland campus. The addition of a new, purpose-built Food Board production area within the existing site reinforces ProAmpac’s commitment to innovation, efficiency, and customer service across the food packaging sector. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251222149380/en/ Carr & Sons Smoked Salmon - ProAmpac As an extension of the existing Donegal operations, which support the pet food, food-to-go, and CPG markets, the expanded production area increases capacity and precision. A state-of-the-art guillotine system delivers cleaner cuts and consistent board quality, ensuring every sheet meets ProAmpac’s performance standards. The expanded facility area introduces several key improvements for customers: Dedicated Customer Service T
Coherent Solutions closes strategic investment led by IceLake22.12.2025 16:07:00 CET | Press Release
Coherent Solutions, a global digital engineering firm, has announced the closing of the strategic investment from IceLake, a leading private equity investor specializing in partnering with high-growth business services organizations. The transaction, previously announced in September 2025, has now received all necessary regulatory approvals. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251222791182/en/ Coherent Solutions and IceLake close strategic investment Coherent Solutions employs ~2,000 digital engineering, product, and design professionals across Europe and Latin America. The company builds and modernizes digital products and platforms for growing scale-ups and established global brands. “In a market saturated with AI claims, we’re seeing clients prioritize partners who can convert technology into measurable business outcomes,” said Igor Epshteyn, CEO of Coherent Solutions. “Staying grounded in digital value creatio
China Industry Leaders Convene in Jianshui to Chart the Blueberry Sector’s Growth Path22.12.2025 14:32:00 CET | Press Release
The Third Yunnan Blueberry Conference and the release ceremony of the “Xinhua–Yunnan Honghe Blueberry Industry Development Index Report” opened on December 19 in Jianshui County, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, in southwest China’s Yunnan Province. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251222516223/en/ The opening ceremony of the conference on 19th Dec in Jianshui. The conference has attracted scholars, experts, business representatives, and purchasers from across China, who have gathered here to explore pathways for promoting the high-quality development of the blueberry industry. During the three-day conference, organizers convened two major signing ceremonies: a cooperation agreement to jointly establish the Yunnan Blueberry Research Institute, and a strategic agreement to enhance financial support for the full industrial chain of Honghe blueberries. Outstanding organizations and individuals contributin
Modon Holding Forms Joint Venture With Related Companies and Panepinto Properties to Deliver Harborside 4, a Luxury Residential Tower Along the Waterfront in the Heart of Downtown Jersey City22.12.2025 14:17:00 CET | Press Release
Modon Holding PSC (“Modon”) today announced a new joint venture to deliver Harborside 4, a 54-story residential tower on one of the last prime waterfront sites in downtown Jersey City, New Jersey, USA. Modon will hold a majority equity stake alongside leading US developer Related Companies and long-established Jersey City firm Panepinto Properties (the “Joint Venture”), marking a further milestone in the Group’s strategy to scale its diversified global portfolio. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251222455854/en/ Harborside 4 render (Photo: AETOSWire) Harborside 4, designed by Handel Architects, will bring 800 luxury rental apartments and condominiums to downtown Jersey City, with the building offering unobstructed views of the Manhattan skyline and premium lifestyle and hospitality amenities including a marquee fitness club and concierge services. The site is minutes from Manhattan via PATH cross-Hudson rail se
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom