A True Kansai Native Enters the International Business Arena: Excitement and Education as an Expat in London

Today’s lunch is a full English breakfast, an iconic global dish. Eggs, bacon, sausage, baked beans, tomatoes, mushrooms and toast are all served on a single plate for this traditional English feast – good any time of the day! It might be surprising to think this is what Brits traditionally have for breakfast, but the balance of flavours and volume is perfect, and it’s definitely a satisfying meal.

Food in the UK elicits mixed opinions, but British cuisine is very diverse. The high cost of living aside, I am more than satisfied with the culinary options in London. I often go to lunch with my colleagues and do my best to communicate with people across different departments. To be honest, I often skip lunch, preferring a quality breakfast and dinner, and to spend my lunch hour in peace and quiet.

Sumitomo Corporation Europe’s office is on the banks of the river Thames, alongside a number of London’s iconic landmarks, and offers beautiful sunset views at the end of the day. I work in the Corporate Planning Department alongside personnel on assignment from Japan, as well as local staff. As the organization here in London corresponds to Sumitomo Corporation’s Tokyo head office, including departments such as Corporate Planning & Coordination, Global Strategy & Coordination and Corporate Communications, many of the Japanese staff have previously worked together in Tokyo. On the ground, local personnel have a high level of expertise and a wide network of contacts, both inside and outside the company. This makes for a highly skilled and well-balanced team.

London itself is very diverse, attracting people from many different countries. Perhaps because of this, signage here is intuitive and easy to understand. What’s more, the city is almost entirely cashless, to the extent that I’ve used virtually no cash since I arrived in the UK.

Unlike Japan, where unspoken rules play a major role, the culture here allows people to act independently within the limits of rules that are explicit and easy to follow. In my work, I consciously strive to communicate in a simple and easy-to-understand manner under clear guidelines that are unaffected by cultural differences, rather than resorting to lengthy explanations.

I am responsible for three areas: corporate planning, corporate communications and sustainability. Corporate planning involves developing strategies for the European region based on the mid- and long-term management strategies of the Sumitomo Corporation Group. Overseas, management and front-line employees work in close proximity, and the ability to experience firsthand the realities of business is a major highlight for me. I am also engaged in corpotrate communications activities, with the goal of creating opportunities for communication that will lead to new business, and creating an image of the company as a great place to work.

My work in sustainability entails making sure we are in compliance with the demands of society and the rules and regulations of the countries we operate in, to ensure the long-term sustainability of our business. Corporate sustainability is a hot topic in Europe, so we emphasize sustainable business practices in our daily operations, both in terms of risks and opportunities.

Working on plans and support for the 50th anniversary celebration of Sumitomo Corporation’s entry into Norway was one of the most memorable corporate communications events I was involved in. Working with Sumitomo Corporation staff in Norway, we created a programme for the event and produced a video documenting the 50-year history of Sumitomo Corporation in Norway. I learned so much. In addition to having to communicate remotely, we needed to bring the entire project together with just two or three people. Many aspects required coordination through diverse avenues, but we worked hard to create a happy fusion of Japanese and Norwegian cultures, clarifying the division of roles and responsibilities to create an excellent event for all parties involved.