SEC 情報システム本部第三営業企画部

初めての海外赴任。アメリカのニュージャージーへ。英語には自信があったものの会議内容が4割程度しか理解できないなど語学・文化面で大きな壁に直面するが、仕事を通じた会話によって徐々に理解できるようになる。

何においてもスケールが大きく驚いた。営業の接待は必ずステーキハウス。最初は1番小さなものを注文しても食べきるのがしんどかった。しかし数年たてば簡単に食べられるようになり、驚くほど太ってしまった。

当時タブー視されていたディーラーの買収（M&A）を実現。本社とアメリカをたびたび往復し、15社以上の直販拠点を短期間に作り上げ、それがのちに当社のBtoB直販の基盤となった。「キャリアの中で最大の達成感」で、今振り返ると、一番大変で、一番楽しくて、一番成長した時期だった。

欧州副本部長 兼 SEEG副社長 兼 家電販売分社長 兼
情報販売分社長

ドイツのハンブルグへ。自分が住んだ中で1番いい街だった。落ち着きがあって洗練されており、景観がすばらしかった。第二次世界大戦で空襲を受け、焼けた石をひとつひとつ積み直して再建された教会など、歴史を大切にしながら、現代的な要素を取り入れて自然に融合させている姿に感銘を受けた。

シャープの欧州事業の転換期であったため、家電事業を見直し構造改革を推進。痛みを伴う改革は、辛く重い決断が時には必要で、責任の重さを強く感じる機会となった。

SEC（米国販売会社）社長

想定外の3度目のアメリカ、ニュージャージー赴任。過去の2回とは異なりヨーロッパでの統括経験を経たうえでのアメリカ赴任だったため、見え方も違っていた。

欧州は国ごとに異なる細やかな調整が必要だったのに対し、アメリカは「One size fits all」がキーワード。スケール感のビジネスだった。

前回赴任時より駐在員は少なくなっており、現地メンバーが中心となって事業運営するフェーズになっていた。「本社から来て指示する立場」ではなく、現地メンバーが自分で考え主体的に行動できるようなスキームを作るなど、前回とはスタンスを変える必要があった。

最大の転機となったのが2020年頃のコロナ禍。ニュージャージーはニューヨーク近郊ということもあり感染拡大の中心地だった。単身赴任だったため、ワンベッドルームでの生活、社員・家族との会話もすべてビデオ通話となり、精神的にも厳しい時期だった。

この状況を乗り越えるために自分ルールをつくる

・毎日、部屋を1万歩歩く
・筋トレを欠かさない
・月曜日から木曜日は禁酒をする
・週末は禁酒を解禁し、日本のバラエティ番組で笑う
・家族とのビデオコールを欠かさない

曜日の感覚がなくなる中で、生活のリズムを意図的に作り、このルーティーンは帰国後も一部続いている。

2021年に戻るまで、約25年間の海外勤務を行った。

常務執行役員 スマートオフィスビジネスグループ長 兼 スマートビジネスソリューション事業本部長 兼
SNDS 代表取締役会長 兼 SMJ 取締役 兼 Dynabook 会長

社長執行役員 CEO

Sales Planning Division Ⅲ, Information Systems BU, SEC

My first overseas assignment: New Jersey, U.S.A. Although I had been confident in my English ability, I initially found myself able to understand only about 40% of what was being said in meetings, and I faced major language and cultural barriers. However, through conversations at work, I gradually improved my understanding.

What surprised me most was the sheer scale of everything. Business entertainment always meant going to a steakhouse. At first, even ordering the smallest steak was too much for me to finish. But after a few years, I could eat it with ease—and, to my surprise, I gained quite a bit of weight.

I led what had been considered taboo at that time: the acquisition of dealers (M&A) and the introduction of a BtoB direct-sales model. Traveling frequently between headquarters in Japan and the United States, I executed the establishment of more than 15 direct-sales bases in a short period of time. These later became the foundation of the company’s BtoB direct-sales business. I felt the greatest sense of accomplishment at this time in my career. Looking back, it was the most difficult and most enjoyable time, and also the period in which I grew the most.

BU Vice President, Europe / Vice President of SEEG / President of the Home Appliance Sales Company / President of the Information Products Sales Company

I was relocated to Hamburg, Germany. It was the best city I had ever lived in. It was calm, sophisticated, and beautifully scenic. I was deeply impressed by the way the city valued its history—such as churches rebuilt stone by stone after being destroyed in World War II air raids—while naturally integrating modern elements.

As this was a turning point for Sharp’s business in Europe, I reviewed the home appliance business and promoted structural reforms. These painful reforms made me keenly aware that difficult and weighty decisions are sometimes unavoidable, and they impressed upon me the full weight of responsibility.

President, SEC (U.S. sales company)

Unexpectedly, this became my third assignment to New Jersey, U.S.A. Unlike my previous two assignments, this posting came after my leadership experience in Europe, and it gave me a very different perspective on the United States.

Whereas Europe required delicate adjustments for each individual country, the keyword in America was “one size fits all.” It was business on a massive scale.

Compared with my previous assignment, the number of expatriates had decreased, and the business had entered a phase in which local members played the central role in operations. Rather than simply coming from headquarters and issuing instructions, I needed to shift my approach—creating frameworks that enabled local members to think for themselves and act independently.

The biggest turning point came around 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because New Jersey is near New York, it was one of the centers of the outbreak. As I was on a solo assignment, I lived alone in a one-bedroom apartment, and all communication with employees and family had to take place by video call. It was an emotionally difficult period.

To get through it, I created a set of personal rules:

・Walk 10,000 steps a day inside my room
・Never skip strength training
・No alcohol from Monday through Thursday
・Allow myself to drink on weekends and laugh while watching Japanese variety shows
・Never miss video calls with my family

At a time when I was losing my sense of what day it was, I deliberately created a rhythm for daily life. Some of these routines have continued even after returning to Japan.

By the time I returned in 2021, I had spent approximately 25 years working overseas.

Executive Managing Officer / Head of the Smart Office Business Group / BU President, Smart Business Solutions BU / Chairman of the Board, SNDS / Director, SMJ / Chairman, Dynabook

President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)