Forbes arrives as Kyocera looks to make the most of its sponsorship deal with Premiership newcomers Reading FC.
He joins a four-strong marcoms team at the firm's UK base in Reading.
Forbes was UK PR manager at Epson for four years. He has been replaced by Sue Burgess, previously at Electrolux.
The wives and girlfriends of Reading's players have just launched a charity campaign, backed by Kyocera, called ‘We're not spending money, we're raising it' - the slogan is a jibe at the England football team's notorious WAGs.