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Chairman Kaoru Takeuchi |
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Born in 1955 in Fukuoka. Graduated Ritsumeikan University in 1978. After graduating from Ritsumeikan University, Takeuchi was involved in establishing a research and development venture, where he oversaw operations until 1982, when he joined Recruit Human Resources Center Co., Ltd. (now Recruit Career). Here his responsibilities included recruitment and executive search, culminating in his appointment as Director and Division Head of Education and Training, in addition, he was appointed Manager of Human Resources. In 1999, based on his conviction to “Provide the best support for business owners and create the worthiest challenges for business people”, he established Spirits Co. Ltd., where he currently serves as Representative Director. Through his work with Spirits Co. Ltd. he has supported the career development of thousands of business people and worked closely with hundreds of Japanese firms to support their human resources development and recruiting objectives.In 2006, Takeuchi established Executive Board Co., Ltd., a human resources service organization specializing in management personnel, capable of providing full support to Japanese companies starting operations in China and the greater Asia-Pacific. In 2011, he established Spirits Business Advisory in Shanghai as a subsidiary of Spirits Co. Ltd., becoming Chairman. He recently (2013) established a new Spirits Business Advisory subsidiary based in Singapore. In 2018, he assumed the position of chairman. |
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CEO Kendo Watanabe |
| Born in 1971 in Hokkaido. Graduated Hokkaido University in 1995. Upon his graduation from Hokkaido University, Watanabe entered Japan Long-Term Credit Bank (now Shinsei Bank). After leading the telecommunications industry investment team, he was promoted to the Marketing Division where he performed various risk management tasks. In 2000, he joined a well-known executive recruiting firm where he was in charge of the creation of one of their major subsidiaries, culminating in his promotion to Managing Director. In 2002, he was named the subsidiary’s Representative Director; and in 2005 he transferred to the parent company’s business planning department where he engaged in IR, M&A, and other business functions. In 2006 Watanabe joined Executive Board Co. Ltd as a Director and Partner where he launched the firm’s executive search business. In 2013, he became a Director of Executive Board’s parent Company (Spirits Co. Ltd), where he integrated the management of both companies. In 2014, he was named as Executive Vice President of Spirits Co. Ltd. In 2018, he become a Chief Executive Officer. CEO Kendo Watanabe’s Blog「That being said」 |
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Executive consultant Akiko Kobari |
| After working as a manager of Human Resources in a listed (non-life) insurance company, Kobari joined a major listed recruitment agency in 2002, contributing to start-up and expansion as Executive Search Department Manager, where her focus was the consumer goods industry. Her tenure at Executive Board Co. Ltd. Began in 2013, where she is committed to executive level candidates for Japanese global companies, with a special focus on the consumer goods, manufacturing, retail, and healthcare industries, as well as Outside Director and Board Members search. | |
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Executive consultant Shusaku Harada |
| After joining a listed Japanese financial services company, Harada gained experience in corporate sales and product planning at the company’s sales office headquarters. He joined a Japanese executive search company in 2005, and became an Executive Officer of the company in 2010 and a director in 2011. In 2013 he joined the Executive Board, where he focuses on various industry verticals: manufacturing (machines, chemicals, food, etc.), healthcare (pharmaceuticals, medical devices, CRO, SMO), retailers, and services. | |
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Senior consultant Toru Konishi |
| Konishi was engaged in the recruiting business for more than 20 years at Recruit Career Co., Ltd. As a consultant in Osaka, Fukuoka, and Tokyo, he supported 600 companies and more than 6,000 people in their career changes as an Assistant Director. He joined Executive Board in 2015, where he brings a wide range of experience that includes companies with market capitalizations of several trillion yen to IPO-prepared venture companies. He specializes in many areas, most recently consumer services, architectural, real estate, electro-mechanical, chemical manufacturing, and internet industries. | |
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Senior consultant Hiroshi Abe |
| After graduating from university, Abe joined a human resources general service company, where he consulted on recruitment and development. His subsequent role was as a Personnel Manager for a major consulting firm, where he was responsible for organizational and work climate reform, as well as system development and human resource development. Abe joined Executive Board in 2014 to contribute to the development and growth of organizations and individuals, and to support Executive Board's sustainable growth and value improvement strategy. He has been focused not only on executive search, but also on various organizational and management development tasks, including Outside Director search. | |
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Senior consultant Takuro mori |
| Mori worked in the recruiting business for 10 years at Recruit Career Co. Ltd. after having been an IT consultant for a major IT trading company, where he provided individual (mid to executive level) career change support and corporate recruitment support for numerous clients. In 2015, Mori began to serve his network of managers (many in the IT, retail/distribution, manufacturing, and service industries) as an employee of Executive Board. He specializes in various industry verticals―from retail to technology―with a special focus on executive-level positions. | |
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Senior consultant Yuki Imai |
| Imai was originally employed at MS-Japan Co. Ltd. for 10 years in their Business Management Department, where he was engaged in human resource education, as well as the management of various projects and key personnel. He joined Executive Board in 2017, where he now supports the hiring process for more than 500 companies―many of whom are internationally recognizable brands―across all industry types. He has directly supported the career change process for over 200 people (including specialists such as certified public accountants, lawyers and tax accountants) and has consulted and advised thousands of others on their career development and change plans. | |
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Consultant Nagisa Sasaki |
| After graduating from university, Sasaki worked for a foreign-owned pharmaceutical company, and then in 2005, she joined Recruit Abrik (now Recruit Career), where she was mainly responsible for the consumer area. As a member of their Professional Search Division, she was involved in the launch of the High Career Global Consulting Division, where she gained experience in executive search, with a focus on the major FMCG and medical industries. She started her current tenure at Executive Board in 2017, specializing in business planning, and strategic business development and marketing projects, many of which are international (outside of the Japanese market) in nature and scope. | |
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Consultant Yoshimitsu Komatsu |
| After working for a food trading company, Komatsu joined Recruit Career Co. Ltd. (in 2006) where he gained both corporate recruitment and personal change support experience for the IT industry. After his tenure at Recruit Career, he worked for a Japanese financial services company, until he joined Executive Board in 2019. He is currently responsible for a wide range of executive search areas―such as IT engineering and other technology managerial, sales, and technical staff positions. | |
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Chief Executive Officer of Spirits Business Advisory (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. Hiroyuki Tanaka |
| After joining Intelligence Co., Ltd. Tanaka was sent to Shanghai to launch Intelligence Anchor Consulting. Shortly thereafter, he was appointed as the first branch manager and helped launch the Beijing branch office. From 2010, Tanaka has worked with Spirits Business Advisory (Shanghai), where he was appointed Chief Executive Officer in 2012. As CEO and country general manager, Tanaka is responsible for all projects. He is particularly focused on manager and senior manager search, as well as support for recruiting newly graduated Chinese nationals for Japanese headquarters. |
