Maria Shimura has sat through more than thirteen hundred executive meetings and watched countless deals quietly disappear after a smiling yes. In this episode of Asia AIM, she shows why the real conversation in Japan happens before anyone sits down, how silence is hard mental work rather than disinterest, and why treating the junior assistant with the same respect as the senior leader decides whether trust grows or dies. Robert Heldt draws out clear tactics any foreign executive can use next week, from sharing the agenda early to asking the right follow-up questions that turn vague answers into forward motion. Listen and start hearing what Japanese counterparts never put into words.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

✅ How nemawashi prepares roots of support so meetings become places where consensus becomes visible rather than built from scratch

✅ Why phrases such as it might be difficult usually signal a soft no and how to invite honest answers without damaging harmony

✅ Practical steps to treat the interpreter as a strategic partner by sharing objectives, history, and non-negotiables before the room fills

Discover how to navigate the APAC Marketing challenges with Asia AIM! Subscribe now to unlock expert insights on tailoring strategies for diverse markets, including Japan, Australia, and Singapore.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Maria opens with the gardening roots of the term nemawashi and why words are rarely the message

06:36 Coaching Japanese leaders to show confidence through posture, handshake, and eye contact before speaking

11:44 Decoding “maemuki ni kentoshimasu” and how interpreters check true intention behind the phrase

15:00 Understanding no and yes mean something different to the Japanese

21:58 The mental work behind silence and why rushing produces only safe superficial answers

25:27 Decoding the terms “nemawashi” and “ringi”

32:55 Common mistakes seen in foreign CEOs and what a good partnership between stakeholders and interpreters looks like

40:10 Closing advice to share the agenda in advance so Japanese counterparts can contribute with confidence

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

💎 Nemawashi turns potential critics into champions by resolving tough questions privately so the formal meeting simply makes agreement visible

💎 Direct no is rare because harmony and relationship come first, yet clear reassurance that honesty will not damage trust often unlocks it

💎 Every interaction with assistants, junior staff, and the interpreter itself is watched and becomes proof of character that either builds or destroys trust

BIOGRAPHIES:

Robert Heldt – CEO & Co-Founder of AIM B2B, with more than 20 years in Japanese marketing and media. He is known for bridging global brands into APAC through culturally sharp, data-backed growth strategies.

Maria Shimura – is the Founder & CEO of HUG JAPAN Inc., a company dedicated to helping Japanese leaders expand globally and international leaders build stronger relationships and succeed in Japan.

Over the past decade, Maria has supported more than 1,300 executive negotiations and high-stakes business meetings as an executive interpreter, working alongside CEOs and senior leaders to bridge not only language barriers, but also the cultural nuances that shape trust, leadership, and business success.

Her background includes serving as Executive Assistant to the Vice President at Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., interpreting for the Mitsubishi Regional Jet Project, and coaching TEDx speakers to deliver messages that truly resonate with audiences.

Today, Maria works with executives and global organizations through executive coaching, corporate communication training, business interpretation, and cross-cultural consulting. She believes that global success isn't about speaking perfect English—it's about communicating with authenticity, building trust, and having the confidence to connect across cultures.

Maria Shimura - LinkedIn

AIM B2B - Website and Contact

AIM B2B - Podcast

Robert Heldt - Custom Media KK | LinkedIn

Asia AIM, Robert Heldt, APAC region, APAC marketing, B2B Marketing, Japanese Business Culture, Nemawashi, Ringi Process, Business Communication In Japan, Building Trust In Meetings, Japanese Business Etiquette, Interpreter As Strategic Partner, Consensus Driven Decisions, Silence In Japanese Meetings, Cross Cultural Negotiation

Darren McKellin spent 30 years building elite sales teams in Japan for companies like Oracle NetSuite, Verizon, and Zscaler. Now he's pulling back the curtain on what most foreign companies get completely wrong. The best candidates aren't on LinkedIn. They're not sending resumes. They're thriving at their current company and not thinking about leaving. In this conversation with host Robert Heldt, Darren breaks down why Western hiring tactics fail in Japan, how to actually attract A-players, what truly motivates Japanese salespeople, and why building a fun, team-first environment is not a soft strategy. It is your biggest competitive advantage.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

✅ Why the best A-level players in Japan are never actively looking for work.

✅ What motivates Japanese professionals inside foreign companies goes far beyond money.

✅ How to build a positive workplace culture that keeps your sales team engaged, competitive, and loyal.

Discover how to navigate the APAC Marketing challenges with Asia AIM! Subscribe now to unlock expert insights into tailoring strategies for diverse markets such as Japan, Australia, and Singapore.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Why the best A-level players in Japan are never actively looking

03:19 What global companies get wrong when they land in Japan

06:00 The four biggest friction points in Japan's job market and what a Monday morning looks like inside a high-performing sales team

12:58 How performance-based culture works inside Japan's traditional seniority

18:54 How Darren builds a recruiting strategy using internal referrals

24:50 Why employer branding through new hire interviews and hiring events works

30:31 The biggest mistake foreign companies make when performing an executive search

37:46 The biggest mistake foreign leaders make in their first year in Japan

40:25 Key advice from Darren's new book

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

💎 A bad hire in Japan is far more costly than in Western markets. Japanese labor law heavily protects workers, making it difficult to fire poor hires without legal risk.

💎 Referral bonuses do not work the same way in Japan. Japanese employees fear that introducing a friend who gets rejected could damage the friendship.

💎 Foreign companies consistently hire for English fluency over sales capability, missing genuinely strong candidates whose conversational English is mid-level but whose hunter mentality and market relationships are exceptional.

💎 The Japan talent shortage is real and intensifying. Recruiters in Japan still command fees of 30 to 35 percent compared to 10 to 15 percent in other markets.

BIOGRAPHIES:

Robert Heldt – CEO & Co-Founder of AIM B2B, with more than 20 years in Japanese marketing and media. He is known for bridging global brands into APAC through culturally sharp, data-backed growth strategies.

Originally from Chicago, Darren McKellin has lived and worked in Japan for more than 30 years, bringing deep experience in sales, marketing, and leadership across APAC through senior roles at Zscaler, Oracle NetSuite, Verizon, and Vodafone Japan. He recently authored Gaishi de Katsu, a Japanese-language guide for professionals who want to join and thrive in foreign-affiliated companies, offering practical advice on finding opportunities, navigating cultural differences, and taking ownership of your career.

About Darren McKellin

LinkedIn Darren McKellin

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

AIM B2B - Website and Contact

AIM B2B - Podcast

Robert Heldt - Custom Media KK | LinkedIn

Richard Mort spent 24 years living and working across Japan and Singapore. Now in Düsseldorf, surrounded by over 500 Japanese companies, he has a front-row seat to why European businesses repeatedly fail to crack the Japanese market and why Japanese companies struggle just as much in Europe. In this conversation with host Robert Heldt, Richard breaks down the invisible rules that govern Japanese deal-making, from the patience required in a six- to nine-month sales cycle to the trust rituals that must occur before any contract is discussed to the parallel networking world most Europeans never encounter. Practical, honest, and deeply informed.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

✅ Why the sales cycle Japan demands can stretch six to nine months, and how cross-cultural business preparation, not language fluency, is what separates companies that close deals.

✅ How business networking in Japan works through physical meishi exchange, niche apps like Eight by Sansan, and deeply curated intermediary relationships rather than LinkedIn outreach.

✅ What the ringi system and nemawashi consensus process actually look like in practice, and why Japanese trust-building requires patience and forensic research long before any meeting takes place.

Learn how to navigate APAC Marketing challenges with Asia AIM. Subscribe now to unlock expert insights on tailoring strategies for diverse markets, including Japan, Australia, and Singapore.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Trade show strategy and a forensic business ecosystem mapping approach

07:26 Common mistakes European companies make and why preparation matters more than language

12:57 Startups are harder than founders expect, and the importance of Japanese trust-building

16:18 Japan business works without LinkedIn and the role of the shokai-sha and JETRO

24:20 Unpacking nemawashi, why real decision-making in Japan happens outside the formal meetings, and the cultural disconnect between German and Japanese business norms

33:16 The Ringi system slowdown, Germany versus Japan on precision reputation

39:06 How chairing a Japanese culture PTA, volunteering, and coordinating rare disease research all inform cross-border business trust

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

💎 Japan market entry is not a trade show exercise. Real relationships are built months before, and cultural fluency goes far deeper than language skills.

💎 Japanese companies' operations in Germany reveal a two-way cultural gap.

💎 The tatemae and honne divide means that a pleasant meeting, an enthusiastic exchange of meishi, and follow-up promises can all mask a complete absence of buying intent.

BIOGRAPHIES:

Robert Heldt – CEO & Co-Founder of AIM B2B, with more than 20 years in Japanese marketing and media. He is known for bridging global brands into APAC through culturally sharp, data-backed growth strategies.

Richard Mort is a British strategic intelligence consultant and interpreter based in Düsseldorf, bridging Japan and Europe through The Human API. Twenty-four years across Singapore, Tokyo, and Kobe shaped his deep reading of both cultures. He holds Japanese permanent residency, works in four languages, and serves as Japan Ambassador for the International FOXP1 Foundation, coordinating rare-disease research among Mount Sinai, Harvard, RIKEN, and NCNP. He has published 135+ long-form LinkedIn articles and mapped major global events, including Web Summit, Expo 2025 Osaka, and Davos. Father of two, Sheffield Wednesday supporter, and committed English tea addict.

Richard Mort – The Human API | LinkedIn

How Japan Links in (Without LinkedIn) Post written by Richard Mort

AIM B2B - Website and Contact

AIM B2B - Podcast

Robert Heldt - Custom Media KK | LinkedIn

Marketing transformation sits at the heart of this conversation with Dr. Laura Bonamici, former SVP and Global Head of Marketing at Fujitsu. In a world flooded with AI-generated content, brand strategy must go beyond impressions to drive real behavioral change. Laura shares how marketing leadership evolved from a support function into a powerful engine of enterprise-wide transformation by connecting customer insights, data, and narrative. From Goldman Sachs to Silicon Valley to Tokyo, her journey shaped a grounded, people-first approach to leading change across cultures.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

✅ Why marketing transformation is no longer a support function but a strategic driver of enterprise-wide change.

✅ How storytelling combined with purpose-driven marketing helps brands maintain authenticity and stand out in an era of AI-generated content overload, where meaning is becoming scarce, and brand trust is a true competitive advantage.

✅ Why radical curiosity and cultural intelligence are the most critical leadership skills for navigating AI in marketing and leading behavioral change across global teams in diverse markets like Japan.

Discover how to navigate the APAC Marketing challenges with Asia AIM! Subscribe now to unlock expert insights on tailoring strategies for diverse markets, including Japan, Australia, and Singapore.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Dr. Laura Bonamici reflects on her career journey from Goldman Sachs to global marketing leadership at Fujitsu

04:16 How Fujitsu's enterprise-wide transformation under its CEO in 2019 connected purpose, data, and AI strategy

07:45 The evolving role of marketing leadership in defining strategic narrative and driving behavioral change internally

10:33 Leading multicultural teams across Japan: building trust through cross-cultural intelligence and inclusion

15:59 How reframing English as a marketing capability unlocked participation, reduced hierarchy, and elevated junior voices

19:41 The power of storytelling as a leadership tool, bridging language gaps and making brand strategy memorable

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

💎 In the age of AI in marketing, the greatest competitive advantage belongs to brands that lead with purpose-driven storytelling rather than prompts.

💎 Soft skills are no longer secondary. As AI absorbs structured tasks, human capabilities, including empathy, adaptability, and creative thinking, become the true differentiators for marketing leadership in global organizations.

💎 Data-driven marketing without narrative is incomplete. Memory drives action, not information alone, and connecting data to a story is what transforms it, making it stick across teams and cultures.

BIOGRAPHIES:

Robert Heldt – CEO & Co-Founder of AIM B2B, with more than 20 years in Japanese marketing and media. He is known for bridging global brands into APAC through culturally sharp, data-backed growth strategies.

Dr. Laura Bonamici is the Global Head of Marketing at Fujitsu, leading a diverse, multicultural team across headquarters and regional markets. She drives brand strategy, thought leadership, demand generation, and analytics.

Previously, she spearheaded the transformation of the Fujitsu brand, including the launch of Fujitsu Uvance and the company's first major brand refresh in over a decade, earning multiple industry accolades. Before Fujitsu, she supported Silicon Valley startups entering the European market and began her career at Goldman Sachs in London, an experience she calls her "corporate gym."

Dr. Laura Bonamici | LinkedIn

AIM B2B - Website and Contact

AIM B2B - Podcast

Robert Heldt - Custom Media KK | LinkedIn

Japan's workforce is shrinking, the competition for top talent is fierce, and the old playbook simply does not work anymore. In this episode, Robert Heldt speaks with Dr. David Sweet, one of Japan's most respected executive recruiters, about what is really driving the talent crisis and how smart companies are responding. From the limits of LinkedIn in Japan to the rise of fractional C-suite roles, David delivers candid, experience-backed insight that HR leaders and global executives entering Japan cannot afford to ignore.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

✅ Why LinkedIn Japan falls short as a talent acquisition tool and what APAC recruitment teams should be doing instead to reach passive talent in the Japanese market.

✅ How interim leadership and fractional CFO roles are emerging as smart, flexible solutions to Japan's aging population and C-suite hiring gaps that traditional approaches cannot fill.

✅ Why a strong employer value proposition and consistent employer branding strategy are non-negotiable for foreign capital companies looking to compete for senior leadership talent in Japan.

Discover how to navigate the APAC Marketing challenges with Asia AIM! Subscribe now to unlock expert insights on tailoring strategies for diverse markets like Japan, Australia, and Singapore.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 David reflects on 30 years in recruitment and why relationship recruiting still defines success

05:51 How the aging population and lack of bilingual talent deepens the talent shortage crisis

10:15 The rise of interim leadership and fractional CFO roles as solutions to C-suite hiring gaps in Japan

17:03 Why employer branding and a strong employer value proposition are critical for foreign capital companies

25:30 David explains why LinkedIn Japan is a mirage for talent acquisition teams across APAC

27:47 What C-suite hiring candidates prioritize, why the hiring process is slow and a discussion of leadership skills

36:27 David's outlook on AI recruitment, the future of APAC recruitment, and the value of relationship recruiting

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

💎 Nemawashi, the Japanese practice of building consensus before making formal decisions, is one of the most powerful leadership tools any expat entering Japan can master early on.

💎 Companies that build a structured hiring process and communicate it clearly to candidates consistently win top senior leadership talent, even when the process involves many interview rounds.

💎 Hiring for English fluency over demonstrated skill and global mindset remains one of the most costly and persistent mistakes global companies make in executive search across Japan.

BIOGRAPHIES:

Robert Heldt – CEO & Co-Founder of AIM B2B, with more than 20 years in Japanese marketing and media. He is known for bridging global brands into APAC through culturally sharp, data-backed growth strategies.

Dr. David Sweet is the Founder and CEO of FocusCore Group, a leading executive search consultancy in Tokyo. With nearly three decades in Japan, he has consulted for top-tier companies across the region and is recognized as one of Asia's most influential recruitment professionals.

David is the author of "Sweet Sales," "Sweet Success," and "Recruit! Becoming the Top-Biller," along with two books of poetry and a children's book. He also hosts the FocusCore Podcast.

He holds a Ph.D. in Leadership Development and an M.A. in Communications from Regis University in Denver, Colorado, and is a certified ICF executive coach dedicated to developing professionals worldwide.

Dr. David Sweet - LinkedIn

Focus Core Group - Website

The FocusCore Podcast

AIM B2B - Website and Contact

AIM B2B - Podcast

Robert Heldt - Custom Media KK | LinkedIn

The B2B buyer journey has fundamentally changed. Agentic websites and AI are reshaping how buyers discover, compare, and decide, often before they ever visit your site. Robert Heldt speaks with Halel Porat, COO of Trendemon, about why buyer behavior has shifted and what B2B marketing teams must do to keep up. As the silent journey accelerates, buyers arrive on your website already 60 to 80 percent of the way through their decision-making process. Halel shares why content strategy is more critical than ever, how generative engine optimization sits alongside SEO, and why your website must evolve from a brochure into an answer engine that serves buyers on their terms.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

Why the B2B buyer journey has gone agentic and how buyers are now orchestrating their own research using AI agents and self-service tools, bypassing traditional sales and marketing touchpoints entirely.

How generative engine optimization works alongside SEO strategy and why auditing what AI actually says about your company is the critical first step every B2B marketing team must take.

Why website conversion depends on giving late-stage buyers precise answers fast, and how an answer engine on your site can surface buyer intent signals that transform your sales enablement approach.

Discover how to navigate the APAC Marketing challenges with Asia AIM! Subscribe now to unlock expert insights on tailoring strategies for diverse markets like Japan, Australia, and Singapore.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Halel defines what it means for the B2B buyer journey to go agentic

03:30 Discussion of the silent journey and the silent shortlist

09:12 Why content strategy is underestimated and how buyer intent forms before your site is visited

13:15 Late-stage buyers arrive needing precise answers and how answer engines capture real buyer signals and unlock powerful intent data

25:08 Halel breaks down generative engine optimization and how it works alongside SEO strategy, and a discussion of building trust

34:26 How Trendemon's platform differs from a chatbot and what it does for website conversion

37:50 Halel leaves the listener with advice and predicts the future of websites

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Content strategy is the foundation of the agentic era. Every asset your company publishes becomes the brain that AI systems draw from when buyers ask questions outside your website. Thin or inaccurate content will cost you a spot on the shortlist.

The silent journey has made the first sales call a late-stage event. By the time a buyer contacts you, up to 80 percent of their decision may already be made. Your website must be ready to serve a mature, informed buyer.

Generative engine optimization is not a replacement for SEO but a new layer of visibility. Audit what AI says about your brand today, then treat content correction as an ongoing feedback loop, not a one-time fix.

BIOGRAPHIES:

Robert Heldt – CEO & Co-Founder of AIM B2B, with more than 20 years in Japanese marketing and media. He is known for bridging global brands into APAC through culturally sharp, data-backed growth strategies.

Halel Porat is a marketing technology leader with over 15 years of experience in B2B growth. He has led product, revenue, and sales cycle teams, with deep expertise across the full B2B customer journey—from first touch to conversion. His work sits at the intersection of technology, data, and go-to-market strategy.

Halel Porat - LinkedIn

Trendemon - Website

AIM B2B - Website and Contact

AIM B2B - Podcast

Robert Heldt - Custom Media KK | LinkedIn

Brand operating system thinking transforms how businesses compete and grow. In this Asia AIM podcast episode, host Robert Heldt speaks with global brand strategy expert Andreas Moellmann about reimagining brands as a decision-making framework rather than just visual identity. Andreas shares how brand transformation creates enterprise value across APAC markets, addressing common leadership misconceptions and revealing how to build a brand operating system for business growth that aligns teams, accelerates decisions, and drives measurable business outcomes beyond traditional marketing metrics.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

✅ How a brand operating system serves as an internal decision-making framework that empowers employees across departments to make aligned choices without relying on individual judgment, creating organizational coherence and faster execution.

✅ Why marketing ROI remains elusive for leadership teams and how connecting brand to cumulative business transformation rather than linear performance metrics demonstrates tangible value creation and justifies marketing investment.

✅ The critical differences between Western and APAC approaches to brand strategy, including the challenges of founder-led decision making, cultural nuance, and why global brands often fail when entering Asian markets without local adaptation.

Discover how to navigate the APAC Marketing challenges with Asia AIM! Subscribe now to unlock expert insights on tailoring strategies for diverse markets like Japan, Australia, and Singapore.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Defining a brand as a decision-making framework versus visual identity markers

07:56 Why leadership teams misunderstand brand and treat it as a cost center

15:00 Signs of dysfunction without a clear brand strategy and measurement systems

19:10 Systemic approach to customer journey and dissolving organizational silos

24:05 Andreas cites examples to illustrate a brand as an operating system

29:15 Assessing brand health by understanding business issues and market dynamics

34:14 Leadership teams following the competition

42:11 Mistakes global brands make when entering APAC with cultural nuance challenges

48:06 AI's role in marketing productivity and the irreplaceable human advantage

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

💎 Brand purpose embedded in products—like Patagonia making Earth a shareholder or AXA enabling domestic violence insurance claims—creates an authentic brand transformation that advertising alone cannot achieve, demonstrating how values drive innovation.

💎 Vanity marketing metrics like impressions fail to guide decisions. Effective systems measure cumulative long-term value through journey optimization, revealing cause-and-effect rather than reporting isolated numbers.

💎 APAC's diversity demands recognition of cultural nuance. Global brands fail when headquarters imposes rigid playbooks across Japan, China, and Southeast Asia without respecting founder dynamics and local adaptation needs.

BIOGRAPHIES:

Robert Heldt – CEO & Co-Founder of AIM B2B, with more than 20 years in Japanese marketing and media. He is known for bridging global brands into APAC through culturally sharp, data-backed growth strategies.

Andreas Moellmann is a strategist who turns marketing into a transformative force for business growth. With 30+ years of global experience - from Berlin to Tokyo, as Chief Experience Officer and Global Strategy Lead - he drives brand evolution through sharp strategy, systemic thinking, and customer-centric transformation that delivers measurable results. A regular jury member at effectiveness awards and contributor to Campaign and WARC, Andreas is a vocal advocate for marketing that proves its value commercially, not just creatively. He works with leadership teams across APAC and worldwide to make marketing work harder and smarter for business success.

Andreas Moellmann - LinkedIn

Future Inc - Website

AIM B2B - Website and Contact

AIM B2B - Podcast

Robert Heldt - Custom Media KK | LinkedIn

Entering the Japanese market is notoriously challenging, but the real barriers are rarely what global brands expect. In this conversation on Asia AIM, host Robert Heldt visits with Sayuri Namiki, President of Pelikan Japan K.K., and they pull back the curtain on business culture in Japan and what actually drives successful market-entry strategy. From understanding Japanese business communication signals that mean "no" to why your Japan team needs cross-cultural leadership authority, Sayuri shares hard-won wisdom from decades of navigating doing business in Japan. She explains why Japanese consumers increasingly choose brands based on values rather than fame, how stakeholder alignment occurs before meetings, and why building trust in Japan requires patience rather than speed. This is essential listening for anyone serious about Japanese business relationships and sustainable growth.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

How to spot a polite “no” in Japanese business culture and read the unspoken signals that protect harmony over confrontation

Why trust in Japan is built through consistency — and how moving too fast in sales can quietly kill deals

How frontline staff influence B2B decisions in Japan — and why winning them over shapes your brand’s success

Discover how to navigate the APAC Marketing challenges with Asia Aim! Subscribe now to unlock expert insights on tailoring strategies for diverse markets like Japan, Australia, and Singapore.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Brand strategy, business culture in Japan and the influence of the Gen Z

05:27 Cultural differences in business communication and focus on preparation

07:38 Failures assessed, decision-making processes and preparation over speed

10:07 Decoding "no" in business communication and reading unspoken messages

15:16 Building trust through consistency and transparent change management

21:12 Consumer trends: from product consumption to story-based buying decisions and brand accountability

25:51 Hidden customers in B2B sales: winning over frontline staff

34:00 Advice for market entry strategy and empowering local teams

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Trust in Japan is built through demonstrated consistency rather than impressive claims. Keep small promises reliably, and Japanese business practices reward you with deep brand loyalty in Japan that can span decades.

The real "no" in business communication in Japan rarely sounds like rejection. Watch for delays in response time, absence of proposed next steps, and detailed questions emerging after meetings.

Stakeholder alignment happens before formal decisions in Japan. Multiple layers of buy-in from frontline staff to executives must occur silently before deals progress. Rushing this preparation phase for the sales strategy in Japan damages credibility.

BIOGRAPHIES:

Robert Heldt – CEO & Co-Founder of AIM B2B, with more than 20 years in Japanese marketing and media. He is known for bridging global brands into APAC through culturally sharp, data-backed growth strategies.

Sayuri Namiki is President and Representative Director of Pelikan Japan K.K. After graduating from a U.S. university, she launched her career in sales at a leading American furniture manufacturer, then moved to a UK-based financial newspaper managing hotel and airline accounts. She returned to the furniture industry as Country Manager and B2B Strategy Manager before joining Pelikan Japan, where she now drives sustainable growth and brand value rooted in craftsmanship and heritage.

Pelikan - Website

Sayuri Namiki - LinkedIn

Book: The Culture Map

AIM B2B - Website and Contact

AIM B2B - Podcast

Robert Heldt - Custom Media KK | LinkedIn

Earning attention has become the defining challenge for B2B brands navigating Japan's complex communication landscape. In this episode of Asia AIM, host Robert Heldt sits down with Ross Rowbury, Senior Managing Director at Nomura Holdings and former CEO of Edelman Japan, to explore what it truly takes to build brand trust and capture meaningful attention in an era of content overload and AI-generated everything. Ross shares three decades of insights on authenticity in marketing, the shift from earned media to earning attention, and why corporate storytelling must focus on the story itself—not just the telling. They discuss stakeholder engagement, the role of emotions in decision-making, and practical strategies for B2B brands to humanize complex offerings and stand out in Japan's conservative yet evolving market.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

Why earning attention requires focusing on the story itself rather than just distribution platforms, and how B2B brands can create authentic narratives that resonate with diverse audiences in Japan's increasingly complex communication landscape.

How emotions drive decision-making more than rational factors, and why understanding audience behavior and user experience is critical for building lasting brand trust across industries—especially in B2B sectors with technical or complex offerings.

The impact of generative AI search on discoverability and reputation, including practical steps for conducting audits, optimizing for AI citations, and reallocating resources from traditional SEO to earned media strategies.

Discover how to navigate the APAC Marketing challenges with Asia Aim! Subscribe now to unlock expert insights on tailoring strategies for diverse markets like Japan, Australia, and Singapore.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Introduction to earning attention and shrinking brand trust, and Ross’s journey from finance to PR

05:28 The role of emotions in decision-making

09:00 Japan's evolving communication landscape: complexity, diversity, and platform disruption over three decades

13:55 The attention deficit crisis and why content consistency matters more than ever for building trust

18:11 Earning attention vs buying it: moving beyond earned media to deeper audience engagement

21:58 How B2B brands can humanize complex offerings through user experience and relatable benefits

25:22 Authenticity in marketing: why imperfection builds connection and executive visibility strategies for Japan

33:58 Generative AI search impact: optimizing for citations, resource allocation, and the future of SEO

39:13 Ross leaves the listener with tips on how to earn attention

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Earning attention requires understanding that decision-making is fundamentally emotional, not rational—which means B2B communication must prioritize relatable user experience and humanized storytelling over technical complexity.

Authenticity beats perfection in modern corporate communications: audiences connect more deeply with stories that acknowledge challenges and imperfections, making consistency in messaging and humanized executive presence essential for building lasting brand trust across all platforms.

Generative AI search is already reshaping discoverability and media relations—brands must audit their citation sources now, shift resources from traditional SEO to earned media strategies, and optimize content to be read by AI rather than just optimizing AI-generated content.

BIOGRAPHIES:

Robert Heldt – CEO & Co-Founder of AIM B2B, with more than 20 years in Japanese marketing and media. He is known for bridging global brands into APAC through culturally sharp, data-backed growth strategies.

Ross Rowbury has more than 30 years of experience shaping narratives for global companies and managing complex stakeholder environments. He's currently senior managing director and co-head of group corporate Communications at Nomura Holdings, one of Japan's most influential and respected financial institutions, where he oversees brand reputation and corporate storytelling across a rapidly changing landscape. Before joining Nomura, Ross served as president and CEO at Edelman Japan, where he tripled the business's size and became a familiar voice in the PR and communications world.

Ross Rowbury - LinkedIn

Nomura - Website

AIM B2B - Website and Contact

AIM B2B - Podcast

Robert Heldt - Custom Media KK | LinkedIn

B2B storytelling in Asia requires more than data; it demands emotion and cultural intelligence. In this episode, host Robert Heldt speaks with Dave McCaughan, founder of Bibliosexual, about why B2B marketing in the region succeeds when brands understand cultural differences in business communication. With 40 years across the Asia-Pacific region, Dave shares how emotion drives business decisions, even in rational sectors. He explains Japanese business culture's emphasis on preparation over brainstorming and why using storytelling in B2B marketing in Asia means adapting narratives to local relevance—from Mumbai to Tokyo. Dave also discusses his pioneering use of AI in marketing for brand insights and why original voice matters more than ever in an AI-saturated world.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

Why B2B Storytelling Asia must balance emotional marketing with data, and how feelings, not just facts, drive business decision-making

How Japanese business culture differs dramatically from Western approaches—from nemawashi (pre-meetings) to detailed presentations versus brainstorming

The role of AI in marketing for discovering brand positioning insights and why developing original voice is critical in an AI-saturated landscape

How to adapt brand storytelling across diverse Asia Pacific markets by understanding cultural differences in business communication and local relevance

Discover how to navigate the APAC Marketing challenges with Asia Aim! Subscribe now to unlock expert insights on tailoring strategies for diverse markets like Japan, Australia, and Singapore.

TIMESTAMPS:  

00:00 Japanese perspective on brainstorming, B2B storytelling in Asia and why business communication strategy and emotion matter in B2B marketing

02:30 The story behind Bibliosexual and understanding what matters to people in brand storytelling

05:50 Adapting stories across Asia Pacific markets using local sports and cultural references

11:56 Myths about B2B storytelling: emotion vs. logic in business decision making

13:49 IBM case study: how personal connections drove enterprise sales and client relationships

19:10 Examples of storytelling that have made a difference

27:00 Cultural differences in business: India's directness vs. Japanese business culture's nemawashi approach

38:07 Using AI in marketing platforms for market research, how AI doesn't replace creativity: the importance of original voice in B2B marketing and business communication strategy

48:30 Quick fire questions: Apple 1984 campaign, Hans Rosling's Factfulness book on presenting data

52:00 Final thoughts on empathy and cultural nuance in B2B storytelling in Asia

KEY TAKEAWAYS:  

B2B storytelling in Asia succeeds when marketers recognize that business decisions are emotional, not purely rational—even technical buyers respond to how brands make them feel 

Japanese business culture requires preparation over improvisation: nemawashi (pre-meetings) builds consensus slowly, presentations should contain no surprises, and detailed data-packed slides demonstrate thorough thinking versus Western-style visual simplicity

AI in marketing enables desk research at unprecedented scale—analyzing billions of internet mentions across languages to identify brand positioning opportunities—but original voice separates winners from the millions using the same tools

BIOGRAPHIES:

Robert Heldt – CEO & Co-Founder of AIM B2B, with more than 20 years in Japanese marketing and media. He is known for bridging global brands into APAC through culturally sharp, data-backed growth strategies.

Dave McCaughan has 40 years of experience in advertising strategy, market research, and brand storytelling across Asia-Pacific. Starting at McCann Sydney in 1986, he moved to Asia in 1995, spending 17 years based in Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Tokyo. He led regional advertising strategy for major brands, including Coca-Cola, Nestle, L'Oreal, and IBM, most notably launching MasterCard's "Priceless" campaign across the region. In 2012, he founded BIBLIOSEXUAL, a consultancy exploring the intersection of consumer behavior, media, and brand meaning. He's pioneered the use of AI platforms for brand storytelling and works with clients including Shiseido, the Australian Wool Board, and B2B brands like Tata Consulting Services, Nomura, and Tokyo Disneyland.

Bibliosexual - Website

Dave McCaughan -  LinkedIn

Factfulness - Amazon

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