JMI is managed by a team of professionals with deep experience of both global market research and the local knowledge necessary to successfully execute projects in Japan:

Toru Omoi
Chairman of the Board

Toru Omoi graduated from Senshu University with a B.A. degree in law faculty while working at NHK broadcasting company.

Soon after graduation, he decided to change careers and work for a market research company in Japan called IMS (medical industry specialists). At the young age of 28, he managed 100 employees as head of the production department. 7 years later (age 35), he was called on to start up a subsidiary research company under the IMS umbrella called NCS. Thus, growing his experience in IMS and guiding NCS in the market research industry for 15 years.

At the age of 45, he decided to take on the start up and presidential responsibilities of Adecco, a foreign affiliate of a manpower supply company in Switzerland. In 2001, Adecco became a top class company in the manpower supply industry in Japan, having 35,000 staff and reaching sales of 130 billion yen.

After retiring from Adecco at 61 years of age, he established Keiei Support Service. His other duties range from consulting on business methods to being an auditor of various other companies. In September 2006, he became chairman of the board of Japan Market Intelligence.

Andrew Till
Chief Executive Officer

Andrew Till graduated from Oxford University with a Masters degree in Chemistry, having conducted research in the field of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMRS) on living tissues.

In 1987 he joined Novaction SA (later Ipsos-Novaction), a French company specializing in the application of advanced analytics to marketing decision-making.

As Director of Asia-Pacific Business for Ipsos-Novaction he was responsible for key accounts for consumer packed goods manufacturers in 11 Asian territories.

Andrew was involved in the introduction of advanced statistical based analysis techniques to the developing markets of Asia. This included the first simulated test market (STM) to be conducted in China (1989). He was personally responsible for over 1,000 projects for new product launches in Asia Pacific, including many that became market leaders in their respective categories.

During his 18 years experience in market research and brand development consulting in Asia, Andrew has worked with leading manufacturers including Unilever, Coca Cola, L'Oreal, Kraft, GSK, SC Johnsons and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

In 2005, Andrew joined JMI as company President where he leads the development and rollout of the company's technology based market research solutions. Andrew received the award of Best Methodology Paper at the 2006 ESOMAR Congress held in London for work using mobile phones and 3D bar codes as a platform for tracking consumers.

Masato Shiotani
Chief Operating Officer

After graduating from Gakushuin University's Economics department in 1975, Shiotani-san joined NCR Japan (the manufacturer of POS retail measurement systems) as a market researcher in the Corporate Planning Division.

In 1979, he joined the consumer-marketing department of Unilever (Nippon Lever) during a time of the company's rapid growth. Shiotano-san was engaged in various innovation and brand marketing activities such as concept development, market research analysis, advertising creation and the management of media support/promotions. At Unilever he was brand manager of Timotei when it established its position as the #1 shampoo in Japan and was an active user of strategic quantitative market research (including perception modeling, simulated test markets and copy tests).

After several years working for Unilever, Shiotani-san spent two years in the United States, where he worked for Consulate General of Japan in Boston as adviser at Japan Culture Center.

Upon returning to Japan he worked for several multinational companies (Philip Morris Japan, Avia Japan, and United Brands Japan/Chiquita) as brand manager and then Sales/Marketing Director. In the process, he contributed to the growth of each of these company's sales and profit.

From 1995, Shiotani-san's career shifted more towards general management in the entertainment industry. First he held the position of Executive Director at Buena Vista Japan, marketing Disney Video Cassettes, and subsequently he became Managing Director of Warner Vision Japan, a division company in AOL/Time Warner Conglomerates. The mission included restructuring two record companies' visual departments, while introducing the new medium of DVD as a replacement for VHS and Laser Disc in the music video market. In eight and half years, the sales increased 8 times and the bottom line became positive, generating US 5.0 million dollars profit.

Shiotani-san brings over 30 years of brand marketing and general company management to JMI and will undoubtedly contribute to future growth, both for JMI and the company's clients.

Yukiko Hashimoto
Director, Board member

Yukiko Hashimoto graduated from Chuo University Law Department in 1985.

After working for the Planning and Legal Departments of a city bank and an electronic and a communication company, respectively, Ms. Hashimoto joined Japan Market Research Bureau (currently Research International) in 1990.

At Research International, Ms Hashimoto became a group manager and was responsible for research planning, consulting, client handling, sales management, and human resource management. She advised both Japanese and Multinational clients on all aspects of market research strategy, using the full spectrum of methodologies.

In April 2001, Ms Hashimoto joined Arthur Andersen Global Management Directions (Currently KPMG Global Management Directions) where she was Manager of the Marketing Department. Her focus was on helping client corporations to develop their market strategies by through the consistent use of research data. This included the development of original branding plans for clients' market entries and the creation of an employee-satisfaction consulting model, which Arthur Andersen incorporated into their portfolio of services.

Ms. Hashimoto regular speaks about market research at forums that include NHK Communications Training Institute, Japan Marketing Association (JMA) and the Research Institute of Marketing.

Tatsuhiro Gomi
Director
Project Management Division

Tatsuhiro Gomi graduated from Rikkyo University with a Bachelor's degree in Economics and University of San Francisco with a Masters degree in Marketing in 1990 and in 1994, respectively.

He has a wide range of branding experience in both the client and agency sides. After 6 years of product management experience in a medical device industry, Gomi-san joined Interbrand, brand consultancy, in 2000. As a senior consultant of the brand valuation division he established and strengthened clients' brand management schemes by evaluating the brand value with Interbrand's proprietary methodology. His clients included FMCG, service and financial institutions.

In 2003, He joined MC Tobacco as a brand manager of SALEM brand. During his service, he experienced brand re-launch activity aimed at revitalizing the brand from the concept creation through ATL/BTL executions. In order to generate new trial, he focused on opinion leader marketing programs to gain social credibility among the target audience.

Gomi-san joined JMI in 2007 where now provides his clients with the benefits of his experience both as branding consultant and from his marketing work at a manufacturer company.

Jeff Matsui
Senior Manager
Marketing Division

A native of Minnesota, Jeff holds a B.A. in Economics from his home state (University of Minnesota 1991). After graduation, Jeff came to Japan to study Japanese and Japanese business practices.

Since that time to present, he has worked with clients in the real estate (Urban Planning, Co. Ltd.) and tax consultation (PWC) sectors in Japan. Before joining JMI, he was a business development manager for Kirin Tropicana, Inc. (50/50 JV in Japan / PepsiCo and Kirin Beverage Corporation). He also participated in various projects for PepsiCo International in the Asia Pacific Region.

At JMI, Jeff is responsible for marketing functions, business development and key account relationships across all industries / business sectors for the company.