253 Terii Jacobs, Regional Senior Director, Head of Human Resources, Japan, Korea, and Micronesia, Hilton
Japan's Top Business Interviews Podcast By Dale Carnegie Training Tokyo Japan
Release Date: 06/20/2025
266 Evan Burkosky, Co-Founder & CEO, Kimaru AI
Japan's Top Business Interviews Podcast By Dale Carnegie Training Tokyo Japan
“Japan’s strength in rule-based processes has become its weakness in today’s information age.” “In Japan, leadership succeeds when data removes uncertainty and consensus replaces command.” “Risk is not avoided in Japan; uncertainty is — and data is the antidote.” “To lead here, map out every cause and effect until the team sees clarity in the decision.” “Leaders thrive by respecting tradition first, then carefully opening the door to innovation.” Evan Burkosky is the Founder and CEO of Kimaru, a Tokyo-based decision intelligence startup helping supply...
info_outline
265 Nate Hoernig Founder Humble Bunny
Japan's Top Business Interviews Podcast By Dale Carnegie Training Tokyo Japan
“Leaders are responsible for laying the road of brick, clearing the fog, and saying, that’s our path.” “If leaders are going to be strict on people, they must be even stricter on themselves.” “Trust isn’t built once—it rises when things go well and degrades when the company struggles.” “Ideas should begin without judgment; the mindset must be ‘how could we make it work?’” “A leader can’t just do the work for people—the role is to show the way forward.” Previously, Nate was Create Director at Nikko International. He graduated in Graphic Design from...
info_outline
264 Richard Cohen, Founder Village Cellars
Japan's Top Business Interviews Podcast By Dale Carnegie Training Tokyo Japan
"If you feel you should say something, shut up for a little while and work out what's going on." "Leadership starts with humility, respect, and the ability to listen to people." "Always avoid saying, ‘I’m bringing this in because something’s not quite right.’ That doesn’t work." "If you’re at the top, you take responsibility for just about everything that happens." "Work harder than everybody else, but let others feel instrumental in getting the job done right." Previously Richard was a Mining Engineer at Bougainville Copper Limited, an Engineer – at his Father-in-law’s...
info_outline
263 Glen Argyle, President Baxter Japan
Japan's Top Business Interviews Podcast By Dale Carnegie Training Tokyo Japan
“Leadership is the ability to bring people to somewhere they didn’t think they could go.” “If you want to do co-creation, you have to do co-creation—consistently. You can’t just turn it on and off.” “Don’t focus only on your English speakers; that creates toxic politics inside the organization.” “There’s no point being afraid of change—it’s coming anyway, so embrace it and lead from the front.” “Your people know you better than you know them. Consistency builds credibility and trust.” Previously Glen was Co-Founder of KGD International G.K.; Chief of Staff,...
info_outline
262 Hideo Goto, President Schick Japan
Japan's Top Business Interviews Podcast By Dale Carnegie Training Tokyo Japan
“Walk the talk is the most powerful way to build trust.” “Beauty grooming didn’t exist—it was a new word to reflect a new purpose.” “People didn’t see themselves in the beauty industry until they started to look in the mirror.” “Recognition isn’t just celebration—it’s about noticing the mindset, not only the results.” Previously Hideo was Country Manager, Beauty Care Japan & Korea at Henkel; General Manager of several divisions at L’Oreal in Japan & Taiwan; Product Manager at Johnson & Johnson. He has a BA from Meiji University and an MBA form...
info_outline
261 Elio Orsara, Founder Elios Locanda Italiano
Japan's Top Business Interviews Podcast By Dale Carnegie Training Tokyo Japan
1. “If my motivation is to make the best product, the money will follow as a consequence.” 2. “A leader must give up ego and put the right people in the right place—even if it risks their seat.” 3. “You have to read the atmosphere; the same person may need a different approach each time.” 4. “To be a leader, you have to suffer, take the hard way, and do the work yourself first.” 5. “If you don’t care about people, then don’t do this job—leadership is a people business.” Elio...
info_outline
260 Chris Mohler, CEO Gap Asia
Japan's Top Business Interviews Podcast By Dale Carnegie Training Tokyo Japan
“You can ask four thousand people to adjust to you, or you can adjust to them.” “If we want the stores to be successful, they need to feel heard—because their success is our success.” “When I tried to dictate ideas top-down, the organization kind of choked on it.” “Servant leadership means pushing popcorn carts, steaming clothes, and knowing everyone’s name.” “In Japan, things take longer to get moving, but when they do, they execute beautifully.” Previously Chris was CEO Gap China; CFO Gap Asia; CFO Gap China; Senior Director Of finance The Nature’s Bounty Co.;...
info_outline
259 Kasper Mejlvang, President Novo Nordisk Pharma Japan
Japan's Top Business Interviews Podcast By Dale Carnegie Training Tokyo Japan
“Most of any leader’s job is change management—setting a vision people buy into and aligning them behind it.” “I view the organisation as an inverted triangle—the frontline is at the top, and we serve them.” “You should be most concerned when your performance board is all green. Red means there’s something to learn.” “Trust in Japan isn’t optional—it’s the foundation of everything, and it can’t be rushed.” “Leadership isn’t about a role or title—it’s about helping others grow and succeed around a shared purpose.” Previously Kasper was...
info_outline
258 Duncan Harrison, Managing Director, JAC International
Japan's Top Business Interviews Podcast By Dale Carnegie Training Tokyo Japan
“In Japan, if you want performance, you need ultra-clear expectations—people need to know the goal.” “Building trust means creating a safe environment where it’s okay to make mistakes.” “Consensus-building is not optional in Japan—it’s how decisions gain traction.” “Every new joiner has lunch with me and a one-on-one at three months—connection matters.” “Leading is about inspiring, guiding, and empowering people toward a common purpose.” Previously Duncan was Executive Director-Head of Asia Hamlyn Willams; Country Manager, Robert Walters, Korea; Associate...
info_outline
257 Yvette Pang, CEO International Logistics Company
Japan's Top Business Interviews Podcast By Dale Carnegie Training Tokyo Japan
“We walk the talk—not talk the talk.” “Expect the unexpected—Japan will challenge every assumption you bring.” “The language we use programs our mindset—'we' means we’re in it together.” “Creating little leaders is more powerful than just giving orders.” “Trust here runs deeper—it's built case by case, moment by moment.” Previously Yvette was Managing Director Hong Kong and South China; National Sales Manager, Hong Kong, South and West China; Business Development And Key Account Manager, Greater China. She has a Master of Science from the University of...
info_outlinePreviously Terii was Talent and Change-Asia Pacific head for British American Tabacco; Executive Officer and Vice-President, Business Engagement Leader-Special Projects, MetLife; Talent Partner APAC-Director UBS; Senior Consultant, Human Partners/Citadel Consulting; Organization Development Executive British American Tabacco Japan.
He has a BA from Macalester College and an MBA from McGill University.
· “You can’t change Japan, so you’re the one that’s going to need to change.”
· “If you say something, you’ve got to follow through with it—that’s how you build trust.”
· “I believe in uplifting the team more than the team executing my directives.”
· “Patience doesn’t mean doing nothing; it means putting in the time to build understanding.”
· “Feedback means you care—if you stop giving feedback, you’ve stopped caring about their development.”
Terii approaches leadership in Japan through the lens of authenticity, patience, and servant leadership. His cross-cultural background and career in multiple industries provide him with a nuanced view of leadership dynamics, but it is his ability to adapt to the Japanese context that defines his success. In Japan, he recognises that building rapport and trust takes significantly longer than in other markets like Singapore or Hong Kong. This delay, however, is not a barrier but a gateway—he invests heavily in relationships and sees trust as something earned through consistent action and personal engagement.
He stresses the importance of understanding before implementing change. Entering a new industry, Terii refrained from immediate restructuring. Instead, he observed, listened, and built relationships with stakeholders at every level. By not coming in as the outsider intent on overhauling everything, he earned credibility and buy-in. He believes in creating a culture where feedback is delivered constructively and mistakes are viewed as learning opportunities, not grounds for punishment.
Trust, for him, is built on follow-through, consistency, and psychological safety. He makes an intentional effort to have his team’s back, especially when things go wrong, and avoids public reprimands. Emotional control and a steady demeanour are key to maintaining trust—he’s acutely aware that employees are constantly reading their leader’s signals.
Terii has driven Hilton’s cultural transformation in Japan by focusing on both hygiene factors, such as leave policies and compensation, and emotional engagement through peer recognition and celebration of human milestones. Under his leadership, Hilton Japan rose from being unranked to third best place to work in the country and number one in hospitality.
He values grassroots input, launching Gemba-level focus groups to surface insights from the frontline. For new leaders in Japan, his advice is clear: be patient, don’t expect to change the country—change yourself. Invest time in relationships, identify internal influencers, and adapt communication for clarity and resonance. Above all, leadership for Terii is about dreaming big, inspiring others, and making things happen—with humility, empathy, and persistence.