Japan's Top Business Interviews Podcast By Dale Carnegie Training Tokyo Japan

As a leader, I learned to not compete on things I did not have expertise in. I had a financial background, not a technical background, so there was no use trying to convince technically strong employees on that front – I had to use financial data as facts in order to convince my employees to accept that things needed to change in order to grow on the global scale that I wanted. While I accept there are differences in practices between cultures, I think the basics of people are the same. People are motivated to learn, to grow, to advance. Young people particularly, regardless of culture, are willing to challenge themselves and are not afraid to try and even fail. We invested heavily in the company computer systems so that all staff can, at the touch of a button, contact any other member of our overseas team. So, apart from being conscious of time differences, there is no excuse for a lack of communication. We communicate, even at the Japanese headquarters, mainly in English and what I encourage the most is everyone just having a go, it can be horrible English with just a bunch of words together but there will always be someone in the meeting who can translate so it is vital that people gets a chance and just tries. Bit by bit, they will realise no one`s English in the company is perfect and that just trying to communicate is the key. We never fire people for making a mistake, even if it is a big one because they tried, so they are not penalized and in fact we set up challenge systems within the company to recognize employees globally who met the challenge, made the contribution and tried. We also bring managers to Japan and take Japanese managers to our other offices in India and China and Europe etc, so as many people as possible, can see first-hand how our business operates in different cultures. It is expensive to do this, but I see it as an investment in my people, in team building and in my company. I think while money is important to people, they have bills to pay after all, but recognition in so far as being trusted to take on certain roles and responsibilities is a bigger motivating factor in my company. When I took over the company, and instigated the global expansion, I had to be very precise and transparent about my messages. I would send the messages in English and Japanese to the employees about where we were and where we wanted to go. I would outline the broad plan and then ask different groups into meetings to plan, plan, plan – down to the detailed plans. This was how I built ownership from the employees into the global plan, and changed the company culture from a One-King culture, top-down strong leadership style that my father used, to a style that was more suited to me and what I had learnt in the US I think a problem in Japan is we ask people to choose a specialization at far too early an age. For example, once you go down a science path, you do not learn management or business skills, so we end up with highly skilled workers but only in their particular field, and that puts us at a competitive disadvantage because in many other Western countries, even if you major in science, you still get a liberal arts education, which basically teaches you the leadership and communication skills you need anyway. In Japan, a well-mannered conversation is based on listening, to fully understand and make an in-depth comment. Feedback is only considered appropriate at work, feedback to people at your own level is considered aggressive. You need to be very careful giving feedback to Japanese people, listen carefully to what they are trying to do and the reasons they are doing that. Personal relationships are key in Japan. Japanese have hospitality in their DNA, so show some interest in the culture and people will be more likely to engage with you. It helps build trust.

Laurent Depus, President of Natixis Japan Securities, the Japanese branch of French bank corporation Natixis, has been working in Japan for over 30 years. Originally from Belgium, he aimed to become an English and Spanish interpreter but changed his career course when he joined Chase Manhattan Bank in Luxemburg as a trader. After experiencing various management positions in the financial sector, Mr. Depus joined Natixis in 2014. Mr. Depus observes successful organizations need to establish three main pillars. First is to have a profitable business model. Second is to have regulated governance. Third is to have a strong company culture. During his time at SMBC Trust Bank, he built these three pillars for the company from the ground up. He especially notes the challenge he had of creating a strong company culture in the complex Japanese workplace. Although very hierarchical, Mr. Depus observes that the Japanese decision-making process is more participatory than the west. He explains how vital it is to establish trust within one's team to ensure everyone is moving towards the same direction. This is a challenge especially in a non-confrontational culture like Japan where people may seemingly agree with the boss but silently resist. Additionally, Japanese staff may be wary of foreign managers as they are seen as short-term workers who will move onto another position in 2-3 years. In navigating such challenges and winning trust, Mr. Depus emphasizes the importance of being genuine, honest and transparent. He says, "I think once people have realized that you are honest and genuine, the ice will crack. Trust will be generated. And once you have trust, mistakes can be made. You can make mistakes and your staff can make mistakes. But there's no hard feelings because there is trust, like in any…family." Mr. Depus adds that when there is trust, more people come forward with new ideas, creating a momentum for creative innovation. Mr. Depus advises newcomers of Japan to be prepared, detail-oriented, and honest in order to gain trust. He explains, "in the Benelux where I'm from, I would only get a transaction when I had the best price. [But in Japan], once the relationship is created, it's usually more than just a simple, pure business, [but a] product-oriented relationship."

Summary When you lead people, you have to lead them in a way they are going to follow. In Japan, when you teach a class, you line people up in order of seniority and you stand in front of the class. It seems very regimented but everyone is perfectly comfortable because they know their role and where they are supposed to be so that allows for performance to be maximized. In the USA, that kind of a set up would make everyone very uncomfortable and inclined to rebel. To make people feel comfortable and improve performance in the USA, its better to put everyone in a circle so there is no feeling of unnecessary hierarchy. Now, sometimes its useful to put people in uncomfortable situations as a way to challenge them but you need to do it with a specific purpose in mind and that is a call you need as a leader need to make. A good culture is one where there is a shared sense of purpose and values, and being very upfront about tying that purpose to the actions you/your team are taking. You have to be consistent about that, because especially in Japan, that is the difference between creating a winning culture and a chaotic culture. A shared sense of purpose, professionalism and empowerment create sustainability, where your team can deal with the highs and lows. In the Shop Japan Business, I looked at our call centre staff as extensions of the customer. They understood the customer because they spent so long speaking to them every day so they took on characteristics of the customer．VOC stands for voice of the customer but really it was at least 50% the voice of the communicator (our call centre staff). It helped us turn morale around because we actively listened and heard. Especially in Japan, if you show that the least empowered voice is going to be listened to, you create a tremendous amount of morale. It also creates innovation – if every new idea has to come from the top, then you are in big trouble. I always caution Western leaders unfamiliar with Japan is to not fill up empty space. Ask a question and hold yourself back as the silence drags and wait for an opinion. Also try to never have the first word. Let someone else conduct the meeting and then at the end bring things together. While the easiest way to teach in Japan is to line everyone up, the easiest way to run a meeting is to be overly attentive and give everyone the opportunity to voice their opinion．Getting buy-in from your Japanese team is really hard but when you get that buy-in, you absolutely over-perform. Japanese employees are looking to make a long-term emotional commitment to where they work so they look for the same level of commitment from their leaders. For foreign leaders on 3 – 5 year postings, I recommend not just speaking with your inner circle. Everyone is meaningful, so have different events where you can show that you are caring about the voice of your employees and avoid being too focused on one group over others, gives you a balanced view of what is going on in the organization. My acronym for leadership is VICES, which stands for vision, integrity, competency, efficiency and sustained success. Poor performance and good performance are easy to deal with. It is mediocre performance that is more difficult to deal with. Trust your people, let them know they are trusted but that it is an open process where people are also accountable. New leaders need to be patient. The leader that will make the biggest changes is the one that listens and truly gains insight Identify who are the biggest obstacles in your organization and remove them immediately and publicly. This is the only way that engagement, empathy and trust principles work.

Today Bela is the Chief Executive of Sans Frontiers Enter Japan K.K., Board Advisor to Soul Mate Company, Senior Executive at Life Lab Inc., and previously Adjunct Professor at Temple University, Vice-President and Board Director at Haagen Dazs Japan, Head of Marketing Nokia Japan & Korea, Management Consultant at Schweiger Marketing & Co., Director Of Marketing at Western Union Financial Services Dubai, Director of Innovation Coca Cola Austria, Country Manager L'Oreal S.A. Hungary, Marketing Director Diageo Hungary.

Previously Eduard was sales director Outokumpu VDM Japan, Sales Director at ThyssenKrupp VDM Japan. He has a B.A. in East Asian Studies from the University of Vienna, and an M.A, from the Vienna University of Economics and Business.

Previously Svein has been in a number of roles at Marsh McLennan: Country Corporate Officer Japan, Chief Executive Korea, Risk Management & Multinational Leader Asia, Managing Director and Country Vice Executive Japan, Senior Vice President Atlanta, Senior Vice President Brazil. He has a B.A. from the University of San Diego and an MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management. He attended the Canadian Academy in Kobe.

Previously Norman was Head of Buyside Enterprise Sales, Asia Pacific and Head of Portfolio & Index Sales, Asia Pacific at Bloomberg; Managing Director, Barclays Investment Bank; Managing Director Lehman Brothers. He has a B.A. from Pace University,

Previously Rike was Managing Director, Woodbridge International Japan, Branch Manager ING Baring Securities Japan, Vice-President Merrill Lynch, Director of Operations Merrill Lynch Japan. Rike has been a judge for the Japan Market Expansion Competition since 2006. He has a B.A. from Lewis & Clark College.

Previously Roberto was the General Manager BrandLoyalty, President Zwiesel Japan, Export Manager and Retail And Sales Promotion Manager Japan. He has a law degree from Universita degli Studi di Torino and was on the Executive Training Programme (ETP) in Japan

From October 2024 Alejandro will become Global CEO of Schoeller Allibert. Previously for Tetra Pak, he was VP Packaging Solution Moderna Italy, Managing Director Tetra Pak Iberia, Managing Director Tetra Pak Italy, Global CB BU Marketing Director Sweden, Executive Commercial Director Madrid, Executive Commercial Director Bogata, Sales Manager Exxon Mobil Columbia.

Previously Scott was Chairman Circlace Inc, CEO Tricor, President Pasona, Manager EY Scott has an undergraduate degree in accounting from Iona University.

Previously Joe was President Asset Health, President at Info Ally, Development Director Taubman, and as a lawyer, Associate at Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, Associate at Clark, Klein & Beaumont. He has a BA from the University of Michigan and a JD from the Wayne State University Law School. He is a certified trainer in the Dale Carnegie Course.

Previously Richard was Representative Director at Avira, Senior Inward Investment Officer at the British Consulate-General Osaka, Procurement Manager, Mitsubishi Heavy industries, and Assistant Language Teacher Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme.

Previously Emma was Head of Marketing North Asia Area BAT, Customer Director Unilever ANZ, Trade Category Director Unilever China, Unilever Australasia Customer Manager. She has a B.A. in Commerce from Curtin University of Technology.

Previously Nicolas was Representative Director and CEO Louis Vuitton Japan, Managing Director DFS Japan and Korea, Vice President Operations North Asia and SEA, Tesla, President & CEO Coach Japan, Regional Director, President & Representative Director Japan, Longchamp, Director, General Manager Japan, Estee Lauder, General Manager Shiseido Japan. Nicolas has an Advanced Master Degree from CentraleSuperlec and an MBA from ISC Paris.

Previously Bernard was Representative in Japan for Pylote, Group Senior Advisor at Michelin, Nihon Michelin Tire Chairman, Nihon Michelin Tire President, Member of the Board Ichikoh Industries. Bernard has an MBA for HEC School Of Management and a MSC from Ecole Nationale Superieure des Mines de Nancy.

Previously Christian was VP Sales and Application Diesel Systems Robert Bosch, General Manager Robert Bosch Japan, Directeur des Ventes Robert Bosch France. He has a mechanical engineering degree from Ecole centrale de Lyon

Previously Tim has held a number of roles with Meltwater: Area Director, Managing Director Australia, Senior Client Success Manager Australia, Sales Manager Australia, Sales Consultant Australia. Prior to Meltwater, he was a journalist with the Herald Sun in Melbourne.

Previously Ji was Senior Partner, IBM Worldwide Finance and Operations Director at Ogilvy and Mather Advertising; Director, Brand Strategy Group; Director, Global Agency Coa-Cola; Marketing Manager, Turner Broadcasting. She has an MBA from Emory University – Goizueta Business School and an undergraduate degree in accounting from Oglethorpe University.

Previously Michael was Board Chairman and Director Voestalpine Bohler Welding Asia Pacific, Business Development Director-Consumables ESAB Asia Pacific, Country Manager Japan and Korea ESAB, President Besam Japan, Product Manager Eiga AB, Sales Engineer, Market Manager Asia Pacific Nomafa AB. He has a Master of Science from the Faculty of Engineering at Lund University.

Previously Gustav was CEO Maihama Club Nursing Homes, Managing Director, Swedish Care Institute, Consultant Access Technology. Gustav Graduated with an MA in East Asian Studies from Stockholm University.

Previously Tim was an Associate General Counsel at Marelli, Director Indirect Sales at Colt Technology Services, Senior Lawyer Minter Ellison Lawyers. He has a Law Degree, Bachelor of Asian Studies and is a graduate from the from the Kellogg-HKUST Executive MBA

Previously Tony was in the Financial Accounting Group-Advisory and Administration, Nomura Holdings, Head of Real Estate Finance Macquarie Group, Chief Financial Officer Merrill Lynch, Area Financial Controller HSBC, Manager PWC and Auditor KPMG. He has a Bachelor of Economics, Accountancy from the University of Sydney.

Previously, Yannick was General Manager Adolfo Dominguez Japan, Pandora Division Manager Bluebell, Deputy General manager PCSA, Japan Country Manager Fast Retailing Group, Japan CEO Mauboussin, Finance Management Program member GE Healthcare

Previously Padraig was Vice-President, Service Operations at Colt Data Centre Services, Director, Design, Build and Transition, Director, Core Technology, KVH, Manager Equant

Mr. Kurokawa is the 18th generation of his family to run this traditional Japanese sweets business, which started in the 1500s in Kyoto. He has worked in the business his whole career and spent a year in their store in Paris.

Previously Patrick was Operations Director at Innov8; Purchasing and RD Director at Groupe ADF; Operations Director at Uniross; Purchasing Director at Alcatel Mobile Phones and Mechanical Manager at SAGEM. He has a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Arts et Metiers Paris Tech – Ecole National Superieure d'Arts et Metiers and an MBA from ESSEC Business School and a DUT, Mechanical from the Universite de Provance

Previously Hiroshi was Regional Vice President, President F5 Networks, Japan; Chief Executive Japan and China Wipro Technologies; and Managing Director, President BEA Systems Japan. He has a Bachelor of Science, Business Administration and Management from The University of Maine at Orono

Previously Vice President, Head of APAC Development, Head of Japan, Vice President Colt DSC: Head of Japan Pembroke Real Estate; Executive Officer, Bovis Lend Lease; Architect, Takenaka Komuten; Harvard University Graduate School Of Design; University Of Manitoba Architecture

Previously Ahbijay was Vice-President of Development for IHG Japan, Australasia and Pacific Region, Director of Development Planning AMEA for Whitbread PLC Singapore, and Director of Development Middle East, Africa and South Asia for the Jumeirah Group. He has a Master's Degree from Erasmus University's Rotterdam School Of Management

Prior to her Japan posting Simone was VP Marketing International Business Unit in Indianapolis, VP and General Manager Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Chief Marketing Officer Japan, Managing Director Austria, International Marketing Leader Cardiology Indianapolis, National Sales Director Germany, Austria and Switzerland, New Product Planning Manager Germany, Head of corporate Communications. Prior to Eli Lilly with Fresenius Kabi she was Head of Area Management Japan, Head of Corporate Communications, Group Product Manager Anaesthesia, and an International trainee. Be honest – are you a great leader or are you a mediocre leader? How can you become a leader people actually want to follow? How can you be the leader whose team gets results? Do it yourself trial and error wastes time and resources.There is a perfect solution for you- To LEARN MORE click here (https://bit.ly/43sQHxV ) To get your free guide "How To Stop Wasting Money On Training" click here ( https://bit.ly/4agbvLj ) To get your free "Goal Setting Blueprint 2.0" click here (https://bit.ly/43o5FVK) If you enjoy our content then head over to www.dale-carnegie.co.jp and check out our Japanese and English seminars, workshops, course information and schedules and our whitepapers, guidebooks, training videos, podcasts, blogs. About The Author Dr. Greg Story, President Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training Contact me at [email protected] The bestselling author of "Japan Sales Mastery" (the Japanese translation is "The Eigyo" (The営業), "Japan Business Mastery" and "Japan Presentations Mastery" and his new books "How To Stop Wasting Money On Training" and the translation "Toreningu De Okane Wo Muda Ni Suru No Wa Yamemashoo" (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのは止めま Dr. Greg Story is an international keynote speaker, an executive coach, and a thought leader in the four critical areas for business people: leadership, communication, sales and presentations. He leads the Dale Carnegie Franchise in Tokyo which traces its roots straight back to the very establishment of Dale Carnegie in Japan in 1963 by Mr. Frank Mochizuki. He publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter Has 6 weekly podcasts: 1. Mondays - The Leadership Japan Series, 2. Tuesdays – The Presentations Japan Series Every second Tuesday - ビジネス達人の教え 3. Wednesdays - The Sales Japan Series 4. Thursdays – The Leadership Japan Series Also every second Thursday - ビジネスプロポッドキャスト 5. Fridays - The Japan Business Mastery Show 6. Saturdays – Japan's Top Business Interviews Has 3 weekly TV shows on YouTube: 1. Mondays - The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show Also every Second Thursday - ビジネスプロTV 2. Fridays – Japan Business Mastery 3. Saturdays – Japan Top Business Interviews In the course of his career Dr. Greg Story has moved from the academic world, to consulting, investments, trade representation, international diplomacy, retail banking and people development. Growing up in Brisbane, Australia he never imagined he would have a Ph.D. in Japanese decision-making, become a 39 year veteran of Japan and run his own company in Tokyo. Since 1971, he has been a disciple of traditional Shitoryu Karate (糸東流) and is currently a 6th Dan. Bunbu Ryodo (文武両道-both pen & sword) is his mantra and he applies martial art philosophies and strategies to business.

David has been with Bain his whole career, starting as an Associate to Partner, becoming a Partner and HR Leader Switzerland, Partner and Healthcare Practice Leader, Senior Partner and Regional EMEA Practice Leader for Transformation and Change, Senior Partner and Global Leader Change and Implementation Practice.

Prior to starting the Swiss Prime Brands company in Japan, Luca was an Assistant Manager at Masuda Infinity Japan, a Junior Associate at Goldwyn Partners Group AG, a Consultant at Het Buitenhuis. Be honest – are you a great leader or are you a mediocre leader? How can you become a leader people actually want to follow? How can you be the leader whose team gets results? There is a perfect solution for you- To LEARN MORE click here (https://bit.ly/43sQHxV ) To get your free guide "How To Stop Wasting Money On Training" click here ( https://bit.ly/4agbvLj ) To get your free "Goal Setting Blueprint 2.0" click here (https://bit.ly/43o5FVK) If you enjoy our content then head over to www.dale-carnegie.co.jp and check out our Japanese and English seminars, workshops, course information and schedules and our whitepapers, guidebooks, training videos, podcasts, blogs. About The Author Dr. Greg Story, President Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training Contact me at [email protected] The bestselling author of "Japan Sales Mastery" (the Japanese translation is "The Eigyo" (The営業), "Japan Business Mastery" and "Japan Presentations Mastery" and his new books "How To Stop Wasting Money On Training" and the translation "Toreningu De Okane Wo Muda Ni Suru No Wa Yamemashoo" (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのは止めま Dr. Greg Story is an international keynote speaker, an executive coach, and a thought leader in the four critical areas for business people: leadership, communication, sales and presentations. He leads the Dale Carnegie Franchise in Tokyo which traces its roots straight back to the very establishment of Dale Carnegie in Japan in 1963 by Mr. Frank Mochizuki. He publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter Has 6 weekly podcasts: 1. Mondays - The Leadership Japan Series, 2. Tuesdays – The Presentations Japan Series Every second Tuesday - ビジネス達人の教え 3. Wednesdays - The Sales Japan Series 4. Thursdays – The Leadership Japan Series Also every second Thursday - ビジネスプロポッドキャスト 5. Fridays - The Japan Business Mastery Show 6. Saturdays – Japan's Top Business Interviews Has 3 weekly TV shows on YouTube: 1. Mondays - The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show Also every Second Thursday - ビジネスプロTV 2. Fridays – Japan Business Mastery 3. Saturdays – Japan Top Business Interviews In the course of his career Dr. Greg Story has moved from the academic world, to consulting, investments, trade representation, international diplomacy, retail banking and people development. Growing up in Brisbane, Australia he never imagined he would have a Ph.D. in Japanese decision-making, become a 39 year veteran of Japan and run his own company in Tokyo. Since 1971, he has been a disciple of traditional Shitoryu Karate (糸東流) and is currently a 6th Dan. Bunbu Ryodo (文武両道-both pen & sword) is his mantra and he applies martial art philosophies and strategies to business.

Eddie's coaching of Japan to defeat South Africa against their hometown advantage in South Africa, was a breakthrough moment for Japanese rugby, which until that point had never managed to win a game at that level. Eddie started his coaching career at Randwick as an assistant coach in 1994. He coached Tokai University as an assistant coach in 1995-96, was assistant coach for Japan in 1996, coached the Suntory Sungoliath team in 1997, the ACT Brumbies from 1998-2001, Australia from 2001-2005, Saracens in 2006, the Queensland Reds in 2007, South Africa in 2007, Saracens again in 2007-209, Suntory Sungoliaths again from 2009-2012, Japan from 2012-2015, the Stormers in 2015, England from 2015-2022, Australia in 2023 and Japan from 2024. Over the 9 years Eddie has spent leading in Japan, he has amassed a very detailed understanding of high performance team coaching for this market, especially for young Japanese people. Leading this younger generation is a new challenge for most of us and yet Eddie has spent his whole career working out how to lead young men in their twenties. He is probably the most expert person in Japan in this field and someone we can learn a lot from. Eddie credits his training as a High School teacher, as helping him a great deal when he became a rugby coach. He is a constant student of leadership and permanently curious, as to how he can improve his abilities.

Previously Gaspard was Port Cities Managing Director Mexico, Managing Directors Indonesia, Ethnicraft Project Manager, Carmeuse Group Supply Chain Analyst. Gaspard Graduated from the Louvain School of Management, Universite Catholique De Louvain

Jean Pierre has spent most of his career at L'Oreal. Previously he was Senior Vice President L'Oreal Luxe APAC, Managing Director L'Oreal Luxe Europe, General Manager L'Oreal Luxe Thailand. He is an MBA Graduate of emlyon business school.

Geoffrey has started his own company Shining Prince Entertainment, currently he is Japan Representative for Drylab Media Tech. Previously he was Co-Founder and Head of Sales for V-Net Solutions Japan, General Manager HBO Max Japan, Japan Country Manager for IMAX, Strategic Advisor for 20th Century Fox Japan, Advisor to LAIKA LLC, Advisor to Netflix, Launch Managing Director and Senior Advisor Hulu Japan, Senior Japan Advisor Paramount Home Entertainment, Japan Country Manager, Dreamworks, Head of International Marketing and Distribution Revolution Studios, General Manager Japan for 20th Century Fox International, Assistant Vice-President Dainana Securities. He is a graduate of the University of Washington and has an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School Of Management.

Maxime founded his company in 2007 in China and now has offices in Tokyo, Paris, Vancouver and New York. Before starting Ekohe, he was the R&D Manager at Labbrand in Shanghai. He has a Master's Degree in Engineering from Centrale Lille Institute and another Master's Degree in Artificial Intelligence and Pattern Recognition from Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Guillermo has spent most of his career at Chanel as Country Manager Singapore, Regional President SE Asia, Global Marketing Director (cosmetics), Japan Cosmetics General Manager, Japan Fashion General Manager. He graduated from the University of the Basque Country (Spain) and is also a graduate of the EU's Executive Training Programme in Japan (ETP 7).

Derek previously was Country Manager Japan for Tourism Australia. He has spent over 31 years working for Qantas, in a variety of roles including: Senior Manager Qantas Business Rewards, Head of Commercial, Commercial Manager Pacific and Japan, Manager Pacific and Japan Routes, Marketing and Management Services Manager Japan. He has a Degree in Asian Studies from Griffith University.

Gavin has been working for Baker McKenzie since 2001, rising from Foreign Associate, to Senior Associate, to Senior Foreign Associate and then to Partner. He has a Bachelor of Law from Bond University and an SMU Certificate in Fintech & Innovation from Singapore Management University

Previously Marton was a Partner at KK Sherpa, Assistant Vice President at Aozora Bank, and a Fund Manager at Nomura Asset Management. He has an MBA from Waseda University, a degree in Finance from Budapest Business University and a BA in International Marketing from Avans University of Applied Sciences.

Previously Alfonso was Japan Country Manager, Regional Director North Asia, Oracle Advertising; Business Director Acxion; Deputy Managing Director, Bandai; Overseas Marketing Team Manager, Sega; Senior Consultant Japan Office, Hall Kinion. Alfonso is a graduate of the University of Navarra and has a Masters degree from Nagoya University.

Previously Bostjan was Executive Officer, Director of Global Sales And Special Projects Compass Group, Commercial Director, Tupperware, Vice President UK and Ireland, earlier Sales Director Japan and Korea, Steelcase, Sales Representative Architecture & Design Tokyo.

Joe Peters, Managing Director, iSearch Worldwide Joe previously was President Transamerica Direct Marketing Japan, President AXA Life Singapore, Regional VP Group Life & Health AIG, VP Japan Marketing Mutual of Omaha, Manager A&H INA (Cigna), Manager MetLife

Previously Brian was an Advisor to Curvegrid, Advisor to Cerego Japan, Principal Advisor In Japan Kelly Slater Wave Company, Co-Founder & Director Weatherly Japan, Advisor Salesforce, Advisor to the Board FPG co., Ltd., Advisory Board Member Japan Burton Snowboards, Director NBO Group, Chairman Value Commerce Co., Ltd. Director James Harvard International, Director Gallup, Professional, Basketball Player Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance. Brian is a graduate of the University of Southern California.

Previously Eriko was President GE Japan, Director American Medical Device & Diagnostics Association of Japan, Director For Policy Outreach, Legal and Corporate Affairs Microsoft Japan, Marketing Communication Specialist, Sony Euroope, Germany. She is a graduate of Keio University.

Previously Ted was the Chief Operating Officer at Picsel UK, Senior Managing Director Fidelity Investments, Chief Marketing Officer at Vodaphone Japan, Executive Vice-President Japan Telecom, President Comuwizards, Area Marketing Vice-President Verizon Wireless, Managing Director Marketing J-Phone, Director of Strategy Ai Touch, Consultant Bain and Company and Marketing Representative/Systems Engineer IBM.

Previously Martin was the General Manager, Global Treehouse Inc., Director of Operations, North Asia, Oakwood Asia Pacific, Executive Partner Fritz Consulting, General Manager Norfolk Mansions, General Manager Garden Plaza Hotel, General Manager Saigon Floating Hotel, Project Manager Park Hyatt Tokyo, Project Manager EIE International, Food and Beverage Manager Nagoya Hilton International, Assistant F&B Manager Tokyo Hilton International. He is a graduate of the Hotel Management School Lausanne.