Tackling digital disruption from within:　

They say that if you work somewhere long enough, that place becomes your second home. I have been with the Hakuhodo Group for almost a decade and witnessed major changes throughout the years, but never has there been a change as drastic as the one we are currently facing, namely digital disruption.

The impact digital disruption has had globally has finally caught up with our company and the need for change is inevitable. However, the big question is: How to change our people’s traditional (or should I say “analog”) mindset and culture?

My approach to that question is to create change from within the organization. Rather than recruiting outsiders with digital expertise to join our company, we are investing in human resources development and looking internally to find hidden talent that shows promising potential. I strongly believe that this tribe of people with a fresh perspective and eagerness to learn and adapt to the ever-changing digital landscape will be the future of our company.

This internal approach towards digital transformation allows us to adapt to new challenges without the risk of having a culture clash between the old and the new by combining their strengths in branding knowledge and digital technology together. Therefore, creating a seamless transition toward the future of digital advertising and maintaining long-term partnership with our clients.

Roles and titles current when this article was published in May 2019.