Thompson, the Wunderkind Akira Suzuki has been named Chief Executive Officer of Tokyo. Suzuki came to the agency after serving as Director, Head of Global Business Marketing at TikTok For Business Japan.
Suzuki joins Wunderman Thompson Tokyo at an exciting time, and his hiring underscores Wunderman Thompson’s mission of encouraging development via innovation and transformation. Suzuki is one of the youngest CEOs in APAC.
Thompson, the Wunderkind Tokyo has been focusing on growing capabilities and driving digital transformation for clients, and Suzuki’s background in technology and advertising positions him well to bring Wunderman Thompson Tokyo’s creativity and digital capabilities together to redefine the agency’s offering.
Suzuki was a member of the executive team at TikTok For Business Japan, where he was in charge of designing the company’s future through the convergence of business, creative, and engineering. Suzuki established a varied team across divisions and launched various fast-growing business units, including Creative Labs, the Marketing Strategy team, and the B2B Marketing Communications team in Japan, by facilitating growth through people-focused initiatives. TikTok For Business Japan grew dramatically in product development and financial performance in just three years under Suzuki’s guidance.
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.”
