Respected, dynamic leadership team assembled for entry into Japanese market
TOKYO – R/GA, the company connected by design, is pleased to confirm the opening of a Tokyo office, strengthening its APAC presence and further expanding the global network.
“Japan is an epicenter of design and technology, and a very long-desired location for R/GA,” said Founder, Chairman and CEO of R/GA, Bob Greenberg. “I believe it is an ideal market to introduce our unique model for innovation, and an ideal place for R/GA to learn new methods and evolve even further.”
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EVP Managing Director APAC, Jim Moffatt, added that careful planning underpinned the launch. “Since announcing plans for Japan-based operations last year, we’ve focused on determining how to best serve the market, and assembling the right leadership team to enable that offering. We’ve brought together an exciting group of multi-disciplined home-grown and network talent, creating a balance of insight and experience needed to hit the ground running here.”
R/GA Tokyo Managing Director Sammy Hazui
At the helm of R/GA Tokyo is Managing Director, Masami “Sammy” Hazui; a senior brand marketer with over 20 years’ experience leading digital transformation in Japan. Sammy joins from Rakuten Group, where he spent 6 years as Head of Mobile Strategy before launching their Next Generation Center of Excellence, developing group-wide IoT strategy, building AI, AR and VR capabilities and forging relationships with the local start-up ecosystem. Previously, Sammy also held marketing management roles with Dell and NCR.
Executive Creative Director, George Sugitomo, is a multi-award-winning former Dentsu Creative Director who led their virtual creative solution team in Japan and worked within the network at Isobar London and as ECD of Isobar Budapest.
Executive Strategy Director, Yosuke Suzuki, brings a deep understanding of global culture and insights from an international career spanning Japan, the USA, UK and Southeast Asia. He has held senior strategy positions with Dentsu, Naked Communications and DDB, leading local and regional planning for multinational automotive, beverage and FMCG clients.
Recruiting from within R/GA’s global network has also helped build the dynamic, experienced and awarded team in Tokyo. Emmy-winning Executive Producer, Jon Hingston, joins from R/GA New York, as does Creative Technology Director,Kumi Tominaga. Group Technology Director, Anthony Baker, hails from R/GA London.
R/GA Tokyo is currently servicing existing global clients via embedded teams and from the new office, and rapidly building new relationships with local clients and partners.
Managing Director Sammy Hazui said a shared heritage of innovation had helped create an immediate sense of place for R/GA Tokyo, and that its focus is to become a trusted partner for digital transformation, product and service development, and communications in Japan. “This is a market poised for a wave of disruption that we’ll seek to help companies navigate. The powerful Japanese economy means local brands are looking to broaden focus and extend activities outside the country, and R/GA Tokyo will be uniquely-positioned to assist by harnessing our worldwide resources, coupled with local expertise.”
