International: Wunderman Thompson Tokyo has appointed Akira Suzuki as Chief Executive Officer. Suzuki joined the agency from TikTok For Business Japan, where he was Director, Head of Global Business Marketing.
Suzuki is joining Wunderman Thompson Tokyo at an exciting time, and as one of the youngest CEOs in APAC, his appointment reflects Wunderman Thompson’s goal for inspiring growth through innovation and transformation.
Wunderman Thompson Tokyo has been very focused on expanding capabilities and driving digital transformation for brands, and with Suzuki’s background in technology and advertising, he is well-positioned to integrate Wunderman Thompson Tokyo’s strength in creativity and digital capabilities to redefine the agency’s offering.
As a part of TikTok For Business Japan’s leadership team, Suzuki was in charge of shaping the future of the business through the intersection of business, creativity, and engineering. Facilitating growth through people-focused strategies, Suzuki built a diverse team across functions, and launched multiple fast-growing business units, including Creative Labs, the Marketing Strategy team, and the B2B Marketing Communications team in Japan. Under Suzuki’s leadership, TikTok For Business Japan achieved dramatic growth in both product development and financial performance in just 3 years.
Before TikTok, Suzuki had both creative and strategic positions in Dentsu Japan, starting as a Strategic Planner in 2007, before eventually joining the leadership team as Creative Director and leading a team of 20 creatives in 2016. Suzuki’s vast experience covers many industries such as automobile, FMCGs, consumer tech and more. In 2016, Suzuki was chosen by Foreign Policy Magazine as part of the ‘100 Leading Global Thinkers’ alongside Hillary Clinton, Angela Merkel, and Mark Zuckerberg. He was also nominated in Campaign Asia’s ’40 Under 40 in 2018′. Suzuki’s work has also won over 180 international marketing and creative awards throughout his career, and most recently was on the jury for the 2020/2021 Cannes Lions.
Ewen Sturgeon, International CEO, Wunderman Thompson said: “I am delighted to welcome Akira to Wunderman Thompson, to lead our Japan office. Akira is a new age creative technologist, strategist and business leader. With the evolving nature of the industry in Japan, Wunderman Thompson will greatly benefit from a leader who is unafraid to explore the intersections of our capabilities, and who seeks out opportunities for growth for our clients.”
Akira Suzuki commented, “In addition to its traditional agency functions, Wunderman Thompson Tokyo’s strength lies in its digital capabilities, particularly in the CX, Data, Tech, and EC domains. By leveraging these strengths, we will redefine Wunderman Thompson as the best Growth Partner for solving business challenges and leading business transformation for brands in Japan and beyond.”
He continued, “Digital means that everything is measurable, which means transparency of results and accountability for the work we deliver for clients. It is no longer acceptable to take a one-step-back approach to client work. Instead, we seek to be a partner, more proactively involved in the conception, implementation, and validation of their business and commit to increasing sales, profits, and corporate value as the common goal of both parties.
We look forward to becoming the Growth Partner for our clients striving for ambitious growth.”
Akira Suzuki’s appointment is effective from 17th May, 2022.
