When I became President of Hakuhodo International in April 2018, I proposed “Healthy” as the new watchword for the unit.

I chose it because there are two kinds of robust health without which we cannot hope for sustainable growth: the healthiness of our people in Asia, Europe, North America and Japan, as well as their families and friends; and the healthy business fundamentals required of us as we aim to be one of the world’s leading marketing companies.

The word Healthy actually came to me when speaking to Hakuhodo APAC Co-CCO Yang Yeo. He uses the word liberally and I thought, “Ah, that is a fitting challenge for us.” So I borrowed it. Thank you, Yang Yeo.

Healthy is a term that’s easy for anyone to understand in the sense that people’s health is important. Then what are the healthy business fundamentals required of one of the world’s leading marketing companies?

Naturally, business fundamentals that deliver sure profits are an absolute given. But more is needed.

Looking forward to how our business will develop in the months and years to come, I think we have reached the point where the creativity and planning and implementation capabilities that we have honed until now are no longer enough. We’ve already reached the point where data is the single most critical factor. So what kinds of data resources do we need?

Whatever the times, it is impossible to think about the future of Hakuhodo’s global network without thinking about sei-katsu-sha. The ability to deliver savvy integrated planning and solutions based on sei-katsu-sha data and sei-katsu-sha insight is our strength and what sets us apart from other agency networks.

Accordingly, sei-katsu-sha data deeply rooted in each particular market provides the healthy business fundamentals that will support the future of Hakuhodo’s global network.

It is my mission to ensure that our global network is Healthy in every respect.

Healthy people and healthy business fundamentals. That is my blueprint for sustainable growth.

Roles and titles current when this article was published in October 2018.