From Sumitomo Corporation to President of Tiffany Japan, the Sumitomo Spirit Lives On: "Passionate Beginners Can Outperform Experts"

First, can you tell us what motivated you to join Sumitomo Corporation?

I had been involved in music for a long time, so when I was a student, I considered joining a record company or an audio equipment manufacturer. Yet encouraged by my father, I interviewed at Sumitomo Corporation and was immediately drawn to the people. I was still holding on to my dream of becoming a musician, and when asked about my future goals in the interview, I would answer, "A world tour." Some other companies were put off by that answer, but people at Sumitomo Corporation were intrigued and asked, "Oh, what kind of music do you play?" They appreciated me for who I was.

After joining the company, you were assigned to the Business Planning Department. What kind of work were you involved in?

I had always hoped to work overseas and was interested in a sales role in the trade field. I also wanted to work in Kansai, the region I call home in Japan. However, when the opportunity came, it wasn't in trade, nor was it a sales position, and I ended up working in Tokyo. To be honest, I was a bit bewildered. Yet by being assigned to the relatively newly established Business Planning Department, I was graced with opportunities to be involved in launching new businesses. Those experiences exposed me to the dynamics of management – looking back, it might have been fate.

The first project I worked on was overseeing the supermarket chain SUMMIT. During this time, I was able to witness the management skills of Shinya Arai, president at the time. When making management decisions, the right answer isn't always evident; you are usually forced to draw conclusions in situations without clear definitions. Arai used a scientific approach as an effort to make optimal decisions, and being able to observe him up close was an invaluable experience.

In your second year, you were assigned to the newly founded drugstore, Tomod's. How did this experience impact your career?

In your 10th year at Sumitomo Corporation, you were transferred to Coach Japan, a joint venture project you were leading. What did you learn during this time?

Working at Coach Japan exposed me to a completely different set of international business skills. The negotiation and decision-making processes were highly rational. Executives at Coach were direct in negotiations, making clear yes-or-no decisions. If something was off the table, they were comfortable saying it was "unacceptable" – no beating around the bush. In Japan, meetings often don't have specific agendas, and much is left unsaid, making decision making quite time consuming. These differences from international business norms became painfully obvious. This experience taught me the importance of reaching goals efficiently and effectively in the shortest time, sometimes even with limited resources.

After obtaining your MBA overseas, you went on to become the CEO of Marc Jacobs Japan. How did this experience unfold?

When the opportunity for the joint venture first came up, I was involved in preparing presentation materials. However, this was too good of a chance to pass up, so I utilized my experience at Coach and my MBA studies to create effective materials. I was then asked to also attend the negotiations and eventually landed the lead role on the project. During the contract negotiations, I had to face an incredibly skilled corporate lawyer from LVMH. I was compelled to embody the spirit of Sumitomo Corporation, "Passionate beginners can outperform experts"* to power through the situation. In the end, we were able to conclude the contract in the exact form Sumitomo Corporation wanted.

One of the key conditions demanded by Marc Jacobs for the partnership with Sumitomo Corporation was my appointment as CEO of the Japan entity. They valued my experience of starting up Coach Japan, my international negotiation style and my MBA background. That's how my goal of becoming a CEO in my 30s became a reality.

*"Passionate beginners can outperform experts" was a motivational saying used by Sumitomo Corporation's first president, Shunya Toji, to encourage employees.

How was your experience as the CEO of Marc Jacobs Japan?

My time as president of Marc Jacobs Japan represented the culmination of the first phase of my career, where I was able to give tangible form to my experience at Coach Japan and lessons learned from studying abroad. Because my management role was backed by Sumitomo Corporation, I had the freedom to think big to grow the brand in Japan. Instead of taking a risk hedged prudent approach, I focused on the big picture of what the brand needed to expand its market share in the market. Making decisions, always keeping in mind this broad perspective, helped me grow significantly as a general manager.

As a CEO, what challenges did you face?

In 2016, you left Sumitomo Corporation. What led to that decision?

I wanted to push myself further into management. The company offered me another path, but the dream I set for myself when I was 25 – one that I chose over becoming a musician – was to be a business leader. I chose to pursue this dream over job security.

What did you gain from your 24-year career at Sumitomo Corporation?

The most important thing I gained was management perspective developed in the field, as well as global business skills. But above all, I encountered some truly incredible people. I am especially indebted to Hiroki Takeno, a senior member of the Business Planning Department and my mentor, who helped me so much that I could never repay him. He handled everything with grace and élan, from business planning to internal approval processes, and had a high level of vision and a great sense of humor. I truly admired him. While launching new business was tough, I was able to enjoy my work because of him.

In my seventh year at the company, I felt I could never be as good as Hiroki, and was almost convinced I couldn't continue at Sumitomo Corporation. However, when I expressed this concern, he responded "You have taught me so much, too." That helped me to shift my mindset, and realize the importance of embracing individuality. Even now, I still meet up with Hiroki and other members of the Business Planning Department over drinks, and we remain close.

It's been nearly nine years since you left Sumitomo Corporation, and it seems that your experiences and connections there continue to support you.

Absolutely. The unique values and Sumitomo business philosophy I encountered at Sumitomo Corporation continue to guide me today. If you want to create new value, you need to challenge yourself. There are times when fear of failure holds us back from embracing challenges, but I continue to remind myself of the Sumitomo Corporation spirit: "Passionate beginners can outperform experts." This encourages me to push forward and stay confident, even when branching into uncharted territories.

With this mindset, I'm committed to making Tiffany the number one luxury jeweler, by continuing to build the brand and its client base.

Finally, do you have any advice for younger professionals who may be feeling uncertain about their future career paths?