Graduate Studies Blog

NANYANG EXECUTIVE MBA

Global Leadership: A Japanese Executive’s Journey

5 minutes to read

In a world defined by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity, and hyperconnectivity (VUCAH), staying ahead of industry disruption depends on constant learning.

For Masato Suematsu, Chairman of ADK Global Thailand and head of strategy for ADK’s entire APAC operation, VUCAH is something he deals with every day. As a Nanyang Executive MBA (EMBA) alumnus, he’s particularly well-prepared to deal with it, too.

As chairman of ADK Thailand Group, Masato oversees his Bangkok-based ad agency’s “big picture” factors like profits and losses, and also nurtures a newly-formed boutique ad agency, SCRUM. As chief strategy officer of the ADK Global network (what he calls his “night job”), Masato oversees client and corporate strategy for a sprawling regional advertising network.

Masato rose to his position just as the hyper-fragmented digital media landscape disrupted the global “traditional media” status quo. How was he able to stay on top of these changes – and how did the Nanyang EMBA help him reap major dividends from this disruption?

Media landscape shifting under their feet

Masato’s present roles feel far removed from his previous job as a media planner at ADK’s Tokyo headquarters., “In the early 2010s, I was in a position to plan and develop marketing strategies for many national brands in Japan,” Masato recalls.

Even then, Masato recognised that the media terrain was rapidly digitalising – changing the rules of the game. “A lot of social media touchpoints were booming – like TikTok, Facebook, and X,” Masato tells us. “And they’re all fragmented.”

Traditional agencies like ADK were at increasing risk of falling behind, as the shift to digital platforms required a radically different approach to media strategy and placement.

“We have to think about how we can incorporate digital media into our new solutions, not just relying on revenue from mass media,” Masato recalls. “So I started to consider the next step for my career.”

At work, Masato’s advocacy for the planning function caught the attention of ADK’s Chief Strategy Officer. “He offered me the chance to study abroad, with the company sponsoring me to pursue an MBA,” Masato explains.

In a bit of good timing, ADK had just established ADK Global to oversee its branch offices throughout the Asia-Pacific. The new group had established its headquarters in Singapore, prompting Masato to focus on his MBA options there. “In Singapore, I’d get a good opportunity for both studying and working,” he explains. “This naturally led me to Nanyang Business School’s EMBA programme.”

Bridging cultural gaps

With its intercultural on-campus immersion and carefully-crafted modules, the Nanyang EMBA manages to give participants like Masato a well-rounded perspective that expands on their executive experience.

The Cultural Intelligence module, for example, demystifies the factors behind interpersonal cultural differences, while empowering EMBA participants to bridge these gaps in their respective organisations.

Cultural intelligence comes into play every time Masato networks with individual branch offices in APAC. “When I brief the team in Singapore, I have to be very clear on the scope of work, and define everything in detail,” Masato explains. “But the Thai team needs space to think about it by themselves.

“The brief is the same, but I have to talk in a different way for each,” Masato tells us. “I consider cultural intelligence to be essential for those in a leadership position in business within Asia, or aspiring to be.”

Silicon Valley: entrepreneurship and energy

The Nanyang EMBA also includes international modules at top global universities, including the University of California, Berkeley, and Tsinghua University in China. Through these modules, EMBA participants see first-hand how the world’s largest economies are conceived and run.

Even now, Masato fondly recalls his time at UC Berkeley, and “the energy of ambitious individuals from Silicon Valley.” Here, he learned that entrepreneurship doesn’t always look like one person building a business from scratch: it can also look like a large company rebuilding business models or developing new products and services.

“In any large corporate group, the growth of existing businesses eventually reaches a plateau,” he says. “Before that happens, it is crucial to sow the seeds of new businesses – with some of them growing into future core businesses.”

Masato put this principle to work recently, as he oversaw two M&A projects in the APAC region. The target acquisitions managed the lower part of the customer funnel, complementing ADK’s traditional focus “on the top of the funnel – acquiring potential customers.”

Putting the Nanyang EMBA experience to work

Since completing the EMBA programme in 2017, Masato has been able to put its lessons to work on a regular basis.

Upon his appointment as CEO of ADK Thailand, Masato realised that a single client was responsible for over 80% of the agency’s revenue — “eventually, they’re going to stop or they’re going to decrease spending,” he explains, which actually came true before the ink on his appointment papers had dried.

It was a tough time to start restructuring an agency. The pandemic was in full swing: not an ideal time to pitch for new clients or replace long-standing staff. Indeed, the company experienced significant losses as Masato hired new talent more suitable for future business.

Today, as a result of Masato’s restructuring efforts, ADK Thailand’s talent and client portfolio are far healthier. “Our reliance on that particular client is now decreasing from 80% to 50%,” he says. “It’s still high but it’s good.”

How executives benefit from the Nanyang EMBA

Masato believes the Nanyang EMBA programme can be quite beneficial to Japanese executives, particularly those who want to explore careers and opportunities outside of their homeland.

“I think the best fit is someone who has an interest in growing their business in Asia – someone interested in this emerging market region,” he explains. “The diversity of the cohort and the focus on Cultural Intelligence in Nanyang EMBA enables you to communicate beyond cultural barriers.

“The various frameworks you will learn will assist you in sharing your tacit knowledge as formalised knowledge within the organisation. And the network you build will support you when applying what you have learned in the Asian market,” he concludes.

To truly succeed in one’s Nanyang EMBA programme, participants should, in his opinion, “create their own opportunities for practical application, in addition to the excellent learning opportunities,” he says. “By doing so, the return on your investment in yourself will be even greater.”

About the Nanyang Executive MBA

The Nanyang EMBA provides seasoned business leaders like Masato with the essential tools for purposeful leadership in today’s hyper connected economy. Its part-time format allows for integration with work commitments, enabling focused attention on both career and education. The programme’s flexibility, spanning from 13 months to two years, caters to diverse professional demands, ensuring no compromise on career advancement.

Visit our website at https://bit.ly/NanyangExecMBA or download the brochure to learn more about the programme and available funding options.