Executive Search in Japan

Suits on Fire: Inside Japan’s Booming Executive Job Market

• Chase Stratton • Season 1 • Episode 10

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Welcome back to the Executive Search in Japan podcast! Japan's executive job market is sizzling — and it’s not a short-lived spike. Join us as we shine a spotlight on why CEOS, CFOs, GMs, and MDs are in unprecedented demand across sectors like fintech, pharma, automotive tech, and consumer goods. From mortgage-deep language requirements to leadership through transformation, we break down the trends driving Tokyo’s talent surge. Learn what companies are looking for in their top-tier hires—bilingual fluency, cross-cultural agility, strategic vision, and operational excellence—and why this moment may be one of the most competitive leadership markets Japan has seen in decades.

  • Market Snapshot: Leadership roles in Japan are thriving, from P&I marine insurance CEOs to fintech CFOs and data-driven general managers.
  • Highlighted Roles:
    • CEO — Insurance
    • CFO — Leading FinTech Startup
    • GMs — Entertainment & Hospitality, Consumer Goods, Auto Tech, Cosmetics
    • Financial General Manager — E-commerce
    • VPC Operations Manager (Automotive)
    • Director of Scientific Engagement — Pharma
    • Head of Customer Success — Tech
    • Head of Wealth Business — Banking
    • Managing Directors — Various industries
  • Core Skills in Demand:
    • Bilingual fluency (Japanese + English)
    • Strategic leadership and stakeholder relationship management
    • Specialized industry experience (marine insurance, fintech, cosmetics, etc.)
    • Operational savvy and transformational leadership
Chase Stratton:

Okay, let's unpack this. There's something really dynamic happening in Japan right now. People are saying the job market is, well, hot, hot, hot.

Tessa Sourceley:

Yeah, incredibly active.

Chase Stratton:

So today we're doing a deep dive into this landscape. We're looking specifically at senior level executive positions. You know, the big ones, CEOs, managing directors, general managers.

Tessa Sourceley:

And what's really fascinating, I think, is just the sheer range of these roles that are open. It's not just one or two things.

Chase Stratton:

Right.

Tessa Sourceley:

It really signals significant growth, maybe some big strategic shifts happening across different industries. So we're not just talking about finding a job. It's more about understanding, OK, what are these leadership opportunities? What specific skills are really in demand? And maybe what unique benefits are companies offering over there?

Chase Stratton:

Exactly. So whether you're You know, tracking global business trends or maybe just looking for your next big aha moment. We want to give you a shortcut, a way to get well informed about what it takes to lead in Tokyo and well beyond. So starting high level. this hot job market. Our sources are confirming, yeah, many vacancies, senior roles like president, general manager, managing director.

Tessa Sourceley:

Lots of them. It's not just a small uptick.

Chase Stratton:

Right. It feels like a sustained thing.

Tessa Sourceley:

It does. And that's why, you know, executive recruiters in Tokyo, they are very busy right now, really scrambling to find the right candidates. It just shows the demand. Huge opportunity. So, yeah, we'll look at CEOs, CFOs, general managers, MDs and some specific director roles to get a real feel for the whole picture.

Chase Stratton:

OK, so if the market's hot, where are the sparks It's really flying. Let's start right at the top. Chief Executive Officer. We saw one for Steamship Insurance Management Services in Tokyo.

Tessa Sourceley:

Ah, P&I Insurance.

Chase Stratton:

Exactly. Protection and Indemnity. So specialized maritime stuff. Their global main office in London, but clearly need top leadership in Japan.

Tessa Sourceley:

And for this CEO role, the description sounds quite ambitious. visionary, strategic, commercially astute. The goal is leading and expanding the Tokyo office. Right. Which makes you wonder, OK, representing the club in Japan, what does that actually mean day to day? Is it more about the cultural side or are there tough regulatory hurdles, especially for a foreign company?

Chase Stratton:

That's a great question. It seems like it's really a mix. You've got to align globally, obviously. Sure. But you're also the bridge, engaging local members, but also making sure everything lines up with Japanese regulations, like the FSA requirements.

Tessa Sourceley:

Ah, the Financial Services Agency.

Chase Stratton:

Right. So, yeah, building trust within a pretty complex system. And the requirements reflect that. You need solid experience, marine insurance, legal shipping, and crucially, fluent Japanese, plus good written and spoken English. Both are key.

Tessa Sourceley:

Okay, so that's a traditional industry, insurance. But what about Japan's startup scene? That's buzzing too, right? We saw Chief Financial Officer role opening up.

Chase Stratton:

Yeah, at a leading fintech startup. Sounds very different.

Tessa Sourceley:

Totally different vibe. Fast-paced, dynamic environment, team members from over 35 countries, flexible remote work options mentioned too.

Chase Stratton:

It really does. And the CFO role is broad. All the usual financial stuff, accounting, budgeting, planning.

Tessa Sourceley:

Tender CFO fare.

Chase Stratton:

But also providing strategic insights, building financial models. and working with international finance institutions on buy now, pay later products. BNPL.

Tessa Sourceley:

Ah, BNTL. That's huge globally.

Chase Stratton:

It is. So this CFO isn't just keeping the books. They're navigating super fast growth, global players, but in a Japanese context.

Tessa Sourceley:

And that context piece seems critical. Did you notice the job title? It literally said Japanese must.

Chase Stratton:

Yeah, that jumped out.

Tessa Sourceley:

It's a really strong signal, isn't it? Even in cutting edge fintech for leadership, that deep local language skill, non-negotiable. It kind of highlights this unique integration challenge in Japan.

Chase Stratton:

And they prefer at advanced degrees to MBA, CPA, CFA, plus, you know, significant finance leadership experience, especially in fast growing companies.

Tessa Sourceley:

Makes sense. High stakes.

Chase Stratton:

Definitely. OK, so moving down a level from C-suite, but still very senior. General managers. This seems like a really diverse category.

Tessa Sourceley:

It really is. This is often where the global strategy hits the ground, you know, local execution.

Chase Stratton:

Right. So first up, we saw a general manager, Japan in entertainment and hospitality. Big global company, leisure, travel, tourism, 60 people in their Tokyo office.

Tessa Sourceley:

And this GM role, it's about leading and growing a retail focused division. But the business model sounds interesting. It merges education and entertainment. Entertainment.

Chase Stratton:

Edutainment.

Tessa Sourceley:

Basically, yeah. It shows how companies are trying new ways to engage Japanese consumers. Salary for that one was $12 million to $15 million annually.

Chase Stratton:

Okay. Decent range. Now, staying consumer-focused, but different sector.

Tessa Sourceley:

Yeah.

Chase Stratton:

There's a general manager for a European consumer goods maker. Right. Retail and kitchenware.

Tessa Sourceley:

Right. A well-established brand. And here, the goal is driving growth, strengthening the brand's presence locally. So, shaping the Japan strategy, but making sure it fits the global picture and the requirements, extending extensive experience in consumer goods, retail, especially kitchenware, and crucially, deep knowledge of the Japanese market, consumer trends. Again, that local insight piece.

Chase Stratton:

It keeps coming up. Local knowledge is key. Okay, what about tech disrupting traditional industries? We found a GM role leading product strategy for automotive tech.

Tessa Sourceley:

Yeah, this sounds fascinating. A fast-growing digital platform company, they're trying to transform big sectors like mobility, even real estate.

Chase Stratton:

So the GM leads product strategy for their data-driven automotive technology platform, managing product life cycles, web, mobile, analyzing user behavior, industry trends.

Tessa Sourceley:

Sounds very data heavy. And the language requirements, strict again, native level Japanese, business level English, plus experience leading product or tech planning teams like five people or more. It really shows how even Japan's industrial giants are embracing digital change right from the top leadership.

Chase Stratton:

Absolutely. Okay, another consumer one, general manager cosmetics, global company high quality products. And this one You had a pretty attractive salary listed.

Tessa Sourceley:

Yeah, $15 million to $20 million, so a step up.

Chase Stratton:

Definitely.

Tessa Sourceley:

And the job involves marketing strategy, market analysis, product launches, managing sales KPIs. Standard stuff for that level. Requires experience in fashion or cosmetics marketing or retail.

Chase Stratton:

But what else stood out?

Tessa Sourceley:

Well, they specifically mentioned a remote and flex system and an open corporate culture that values diverse skills. That feels quite modern, right? Especially for Japan. Suggests a shift in work culture, perhaps.

Chase Stratton:

It does. Good point. Okay, and we can't really talk about major Japanese companies without mentioning Rakuten, can we?

Tessa Sourceley:

Definitely not. Huge ecosystem.

Chase Stratton:

Over 70 services, yeah.

Tessa Sourceley:

Yeah.

Chase Stratton:

And they're There's a GM role. General Manager of Financial Accounting. This is for Rakuten Symphony's financial management department.

Tessa Sourceley:

Right. And Rakuten Symphony is their sort of global telecom platform, isn't it? So this role is about setting up a global financial and accounting structure.

Chase Stratton:

Wow. Okay. Big scope.

Tessa Sourceley:

Yeah. Overseeing financial accounting ops, inventory accounting, ensuring compliance, IFRS, JSOX.

Chase Stratton:

International standards and Japanese regulations.

Tessa Sourceley:

Exactly. And managing a team of maybe four to ten accountants. Language. Both Japanese and English fluency are mandatory. And they prefer CPA or CMA certification. It really speaks to Rakuten's scale and global ambitions.

Chase Stratton:

These GM roles, they really feel like mini CEOs for their specific patch, don't they?

Tessa Sourceley:

That's a good way to put it. Yeah. They need that blend of global view and super sharp local insight. They're the bridge builders. And, you know, there was one more GM role we saw, maybe a bit more niche. General Manager VPC.

Chase Stratton:

VPC, Vehicle Preparation Center.

Tessa Sourceley:

Exactly. Right in the automotive sector. Yeah. Very operational. Very

Chase Stratton:

operational.

Tessa Sourceley:

Requires five plus years in automotive and auto mechanic qualification, class three specifically mentioned, and business level Japanese and English. It kind of highlights that operational excellence that supply chain mastery Japan is famous for. Leadership needed there too.

Chase Stratton:

Makes sense. Okay, so beyond GMs, we also saw some highly specialized director and head roles, like the director, external scientific engagement at Takeda Pharmaceutical.

Tessa Sourceley:

Ah, Takeda. Huge history. 240 years. Big global R&D focus. This sounds important.

Chase Stratton:

It does. It's described as a senior leadership role driving scientific engagement in Japan. shaping external innovation, influencing science policy, leading collaborations.

Tessa Sourceley:

Collaborations with who?

Chase Stratton:

Government academia industry. So you need a deep understanding of Japan's whole healthcare and innovation ecosystem. Strong networks mentioned JPMA, MHLW, AMD, PMDA. All the key players.

Tessa Sourceley:

Wow. Okay. So connecting the dots between science and policy. That's big.

Chase Stratton:

Yeah. Requires an advanced degree PhD, MD or equivalent, 12 plus years experience. And again, exceptional communication, both Japanese and English.

Tessa Sourceley:

And Takeda offers flexibility too.

Chase Stratton:

Yeah. They mentioned flex time, telework, good benefits. Seems standard for many of these higher level roles now.

Tessa Sourceley:

Okay. Shifting gears a bit, but still tech head of customer success for Japan at HubSpot.

Chase Stratton:

Right. The AI powered customer platform. This role is senior leadership based in Singapore and Tokyo, leading managers, individual contributors across different customer segments.

Tessa Sourceley:

And the core job, customer success, right? So retention, expansion, advocacy, and actually owning the revenue number for the Japan team.

Chase Stratton:

High responsibility.

Tessa Sourceley:

Very. Requires seven plus years in customer success, four plus in people management. But here's the kicker again. Native level Japanese fluency required.

Chase Stratton:

Native level, not just business.

Tessa Sourceley:

Native level. Alongside business English. Even for a global tech firm like HubSpot for this customer-facing leadership in Japan, that deep linguistic cultural immersion is critical.

Chase Stratton:

It really drives that point home.

Tessa Sourceley:

And they also talked about their culture, solve for the customer, be bold, deliver with heart. Companies are definitely highlighting culture more.

Chase Stratton:

Seems like it.

Tessa Sourceley:

Then

Chase Stratton:

there's that head of Japan wealth business role, foreign asset management company. True. range was eye watering.

Tessa Sourceley:

Yeah. 30 million to 100 million JPY. That's quite a spread. But the top end is huge.

Chase Stratton:

What does that signal? High demand. High stakes.

Tessa Sourceley:

Both, probably. It's a niche specialized financial area. The role has overall penal responsibility for Japan, team management, sales, marketing, investor relations, focusing on alternative products sold to financial institutions.

Chase Stratton:

So intermediaries.

Tessa Sourceley:

Right. Requires experience selling financial products to intermediaries and business level English. Definitely a high pressure, high reward kind of role.

Chase Stratton:

And we also saw that senior vice president role at the Asia Group meeting 15 years minimum experience just underscores the need for really seasoned people at the top.

Tessa Sourceley:

Absolutely. Now, what about consulting? That's another area with senior roles, often managing directors.

Chase Stratton:

Right. We saw an MD role at a major crowdsourcing company. Interesting angle here. They're launching a full-time consulting firm.

Tessa Sourceley:

Oh. How does that work with crowdsourcing?

Chase Stratton:

They're combining their freelance talent pool with full-time consultants, offering clients more flexible service models. It's kind of an innovative blend, leveraging the gig economy for high-end consulting.

Tessa Sourceley:

Interesting model.

Chase Stratton:

And the MD oversees client acquisition, manages relationships, leads projects, develops new services, requires five-plus years as a senior manager in a traditional consulting firm strategy or general. Strong sales and project management skills needed. Seems quite entrepreneurial, even within a larger structure

Tessa Sourceley:

definitely adapting Then there's a different kind of MD role. Managing director, restructuring at a global financial advisory firm.

Chase Stratton:

Restructuring. Sounds intense. It

Tessa Sourceley:

often is. High salary, again, $25 million to $35 million. The focus is on early stage restructuring. So helping companies before they're in deep crisis. Analysis, problem solving, boosting revenue, strategic rebuilding.

Chase Stratton:

Proactive restructuring.

Tessa Sourceley:

Exactly. Requires specific experience from a financial advisory services firm, an FAS firm, or a dedicated restructuring shop. and business-level English.

Chase Stratton:

Okay. Now contrast that with the managing director, senior director role at Frontier Management. They're a hybrid firm, right? Yeah.

Tessa Sourceley:

Yeah. They do financial advisory, management consulting, and restructuring. This role involves M&A, organizational restructuring, lots of domestic middle market deals, restructuring cases, some Asia focus too.

Chase Stratton:

But the fascinating detail here was...

Tessa Sourceley:

English is not required for this specific role.

Chase Stratton:

Wow. That really stands out after everything else we've seen.

Tessa Sourceley:

It does. A rare exception. Suggests a very deep focus purely on the domestic Japanese market for this particular position. Interesting.

Chase Stratton:

And finally, in this bracket, a director to managing director role at Japan Post Capital.

Tessa Sourceley:

Ah, Nippon Post Group's CVC corporate venture capital.

Chase Stratton:

Right. So investing in startups strategically for the parent company. The role involves investment research, managing the process, making decisions, monitoring the investments.

Tessa Sourceley:

Standard VC stuff. Right. Requires five plus years in venture capital, specifically with investment and post-investment value up experience, helping the portfolio companies grow.

Chase Stratton:

Right. OK, so we've covered a lot of ground. CEOs, CFOs, GMs, directors, MDs. What does this all mean for you if you're looking at or thinking about these kinds of executive roles in Japan? A few themes really jump out, don't they?

Tessa Sourceley:

They really do. I mean, first, across the board, you need strong strategic leadership. That ability to drive growth, ensure operational excellence, It's universal. Second, stakeholder mastery, building and keeping strong relationships, clients, partners, regulators, internal teams, absolutely crucial for success at this level.

Chase Stratton:

Can't operate in a vacuum?

Tessa Sourceley:

Not at all. Third, and we've hit this hard, but it bears repeating, bilingual proficiency. That critical importance of Japanese, often native level and solid business English, it's the key for most top roles.

Chase Stratton:

That one notable exception we found.

Tessa Sourceley:

Right, that domestic focused role. Fourth, deep industry expertise. You saw it again and again Marine insurance, fintech, autotech, cosmetics, finance. Specialization is often required.

Chase Stratton:

You need to know your stuff.

Tessa Sourceley:

Definitely. And finally, adaptability. These are fast-paced, global environments, often cross-cultural. Leaders need to handle complexity, embrace change, be flexible.

Chase Stratton:

And beyond the demands, the upsides look pretty good too, right? The benefits.

Tessa Sourceley:

Yeah, definitely compelling. We saw high competitive salaries consistently. A real focus, it seems, on work-life balance, lots of mentions of hybrid, flexible work.

Chase Stratton:

Which is maybe a shift for Japan.

Tessa Sourceley:

Potentially, yeah. Becoming more mainstream, at least in these types of Also, commitments to professional development, clear career paths, and many companies are actively promoting supportive, diverse corporate cultures. That's a big draw for talent.

Chase Stratton:

So it feels like this unique blend. Japan's corporate world embracing tradition but also pushing towards innovation, globalization.

Tessa Sourceley:

Exactly. It's a landscape that values both that deep local insight and international best practices. It's a really interesting dynamic for leadership.

Chase Stratton:

So we've definitely unpacked a truly diverse set of opportunities, leading a P&I club, steering automotive tech strategy. It's clear Japan's executive job market isn't just busy. It's incredibly varied. And it demands a very specific high caliber skill set.

Tessa Sourceley:

Which I think leads to a bigger question, maybe something to chew on. As Japan's economy keeps evolving, keeps globalizing. How will these high level leaders in these specific roles not just shape their own industries, but maybe influence the broader cultural and economic direction of the country itself?

Chase Stratton:

That's a great question. And for you listening, what stood out to you about these roles? Which of these leadership challenges sounds most exciting or maybe most daunting? Hopefully this deep dive has given you some valuable insights, a bit of a shortcut to being well-informed.

People on this episode

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Chase Stratton

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Tessa Sourceley

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