Hajime Satomi is a Japanese businessman, the billionaire founder of Sammy Corporation and Honorary Chairman of Sega Sammy Holdings (TYO: 6460), a major gaming and entertainment conglomerate. Born in 1942 in Fukushima, Japan, his career is rooted in the high-volume Japanese gaming sector (pachinko).

Satomi withdrew from Aoyama Gakuin University in 1975 to found Sammy Corporation. His strategic genius was focusing on the manufacturing of machines for the lucrative pachislot and pachinko industry—one of Japan's most popular forms of gambling. This commitment to industrializing and scaling gaming machine production was the foundation of his immense wealth.

Hajime Satomi's strategic vision was audacious: consolidate the gaming and entertainment sectors. Sammy Corporation was successfully listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) in 2001. His pivotal move came in 2004 when Sammy acquired a controlling share in Sega ($1.1 billion), forming Sega Sammy Holdings Inc., a combined $4.5 billion sales group.

Under his leadership as Chairman and CEO, Sega Sammy became a dominant force in arcade games, video games, and pachinko machines. Satomi was instrumental in managing and supporting key Sega IP (e.g., greenlighting the Yakuza game and being persistent in getting the Sonic the Hedgehog movie franchise started). He later transitioned to Honorary Chairman, with his son, Haruki Satomi, taking on executive roles. His wealth is tied to the long-term, stable profitability of the pachinko and global video gaming sectors.

Hajime Satomi's social impact is structural, stemming from Sega Sammy's role as a massive employer and provider of entertainment content globally. His structural contribution is tied to the successful consolidation and modernization of the Japanese gaming and gambling industries.

His personal philanthropy supports various cultural and community initiatives. His career is a testament to the profitability of disciplined industrial manufacturing and aggressive corporate acquisition in the global entertainment sector.

Hajime Satomi maintains the professional, traditional style of a Japanese industrialist. His attire is consistently formal and high-quality, favoring tailored business suits. His aesthetic is one of stability and composed authority, reflecting his mastery of the high-stakes gaming industry.

Residing in Tokyo, Japan, his luxury is the immense security and financial reward derived from his multi-billion dollar fortune. His life is dedicated to industrial scale, gaming innovation, and the long-term management of his massive entertainment empire.