Leveraging Global Experience to expand into unexplored Territory

After studying in US university and law school, I began my career as an international tax advisor for a local company, later transitioning into the in-house legal role. Over the years, I have gained extensive legal expertise across diverse industries such as finance, medical devices, consumer electronics, cosmetics, and commercial vehicles, covering areas like corporate law, intellectual property, compliance, and privacy.

Once I returned to Japan in 2006, I headed legal departments for several global corporations where I built teams and enhanced collaboration with overseas headquarters, utilizing my experience working in the US and the Netherlands.

I decided to join SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS for two key reasons. First, I felt that I could leverage my international experience and communication skills in line with the Group’s globalization. Second, SEGA SAMMY Group's approach of transforming the Legal and Intellectual Property Division into a business "enabler" rather than a "showstopper" resonated with me, I and wanted to take on this challenge.

Starting new business ventures brings up various legal concerns and risks. In the US and Europe where I worked, it is common for legal department to approach business divisions to address legal issues early, which allows for business operations to proceed smoothly without interruptions.

Since I was familiar and comfortable with this way of working, I believed my expertise could be applied to furthering SEGA SAMMY’s challenges such as new business development.

Additionally, when I read the Group's integrated report and learned that "Detective Conan," a comic series I love, is a part of the Group’s portfolio, it further motivated me to join the company.

Cultivating Team Growth, to strive for a Legal Division that "Provides Solutions"

Upon assuming my position, I prioritized restructuring the Legal and Intellectual Property Division. Most of the members were simultaneously handling tasks for both the holdings and group companies. With overwhelming workloads, it was difficult for the members to proactively approach other departments. To address this matter, I proposed a reorganization to establish a structure that allows for better support of other departments and finds solutions collaboratively.

I also focused on shifting mindsets of each member, encouraging them to think beyond simple "YES/NO" responses. Instead, they were trained to ask, "How can we mitigate risks to reach a 'YES'?" This mindset reinforces our role as both the stronghold of legal defense and a partner striving with business to realize organizational goals.

In addition to the importance of each individual task, I try to convey the role and philosophy of the Legal and Intellectual Property Division, which is to understand each division and operating company’s Mission Pyramid and support the achievement of their business goals. Based on the experience and knowledge we have gained from our wide range of challenges, we strive to propose concrete measures on what is possible and how to achieve it.

We also engage in proactive communication, including regular meetings with related departments and publication of legal insights via the company intranet. We aim to promote understanding of the division’s responsibilities and challenges among all employees by sharing updates on legal reforms, intriguing case studies, and analyses to deepen engagement across the organization.

While there are times when we must convey strict opinions from legal perspective, we always strive to propose alternatives and clearly explain the reasons for our positions. This approach builds trust and allows us to provide higher-quality advice that contributes to the company's growth.

There are, of course, many situations where our opinions clash with the wishes of the other departments. In order to ensure that our members can work with confidence, I always tell them that "we provide value by pointing out risks." Sometimes, I or a manager joins these discussions with the head of other department to support communication and to convey our role, that we are colleagues who are working with them to advance the business.

Currently, SEGA SAMMY Group is actively pursuing overseas expansion, presenting continuous new challenges for the legal department. For instance, in the Gaming Business, we have encountered matters requiring legal knowledge that is rarely addressed in Japan, which has enabled me to gain valuable experience. In the two years since joining, I have been involved in numerous projects equivalent to ‘five to ten years' worth at other companies, leading to significant personal growth. I am excited about experiencing other opportunities in the future.

Message to Students and Those Who Aspire to Join Our Company

In the Legal and Intellectual Property Division, we value not only the legal knowledge but also having strong communication skills. In addition to industry experience, the ability to effectively communicate important matters to business divisions across group companies and propose effective solutions is they “key” to our work.

We seek individuals who find joy in creating new systems and processes, rather than working within existing frameworks.

At SEGA SAMMY Group, numerous exciting projects are constantly conducted, presenting challenges that significantly expand the role and responsibilities of our division. While things get demanding at times, the sense of fulfillment derived from witnessing the impact of our work on the company makes it all worthwhile.

It may be difficult to imagine what working at SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS, whose role differs from that of operating companies like SEGA or Sammy, is like.

Generally, a holding company's roles include formulating management strategies, resource allocation, strengthening corporate governance, and risk management. As a publicly listed company, SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS also engages with external stakeholders, contributing to the Group's value creation. Additionally, as a global company, understanding international affairs is crucial.

Our work involves participating in diverse projects and new businesses across the Group's various domains and global regions. Collaborating with related departments and group companies, we leverage accumulated knowledge to drive innovation. Within regulatory constraints, we are tasked with creating added value through flexible thinking and a creative mindset, making our work both challenging and rewarding.