Tokyo, Japan-based Toei Animation has promoted long-time Toei exec Katsuhiro Takagi to president from his most recent position of senior director.

The move, which is effective immediately, will see Takagi continue to grow the studio’s international partnerships and expand the company into new markets with its library of hit animated properties and new programming.

Prior to his promotion to senior director in 2011 from managing director, Takagi, who has been with Toei Animation for more than 30 years, spent five years as director of the studio’s character licensing department.

Toei Animation launched in 1956 and to date has produced more than 10,000 TV episodes for hit series including Sailor Moon and Digimon, and has also produced more than 200 feature-length films.

The latest move comes on the heels of Toei naming Iriya Azuma as director of its global licensing business department and the appointment of Toei veteran Hiroyuki Kinoshita as the CEO of Toei Animation Enterprises and COO of Toei Animation and Toei Animation Europe.