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:

Takashi Kato
Chief Executive Officer (Serving concurrently as Chief Financial Officer of GMO Research)

After majoring in applied physics at Waseda University’s Faculty of Science and Engineering, Mr. Kato was hired by the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi (presently Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ). After being engaged in corporate financing and reviews of loans receivable there, he joined the turnaround services department of KPMG Japan, advising major Japanese financial institutions on disposal of non-performing loans, and advising insolvent Tokyo Stock Exchange First Section companies and major Japanese ski resorts on business rehabilitation planning and M&A.

Following this, Mr. Kato received his MBA (with Honors) from the Australian National University, National Graduate School of Management. Mr. Kato joined the Tokyo Stock Exchange Mothers-listed Ecash Corporation after returning to Japan and, in cooperation with a San Diego-based venture capital firm, worked to promote new business development by supporting U.S. technology start-ups entering the Japanese market. He also sat on the Board of Directors.

It was after this that Mr. Kato joined GMO Research, Inc. as head of the president’s office , and then went on to become CFO.

Mr. Kato was appointed as the board of director at Japan Market Intelligence K.K. on January 15, 2009. From January 1, 2010, Mr. Kato will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer at Japan Market Intelligence K.K., serving concurrently as CFO of GMO Research, Inc.

Shinichi Hosokawa
Chairman of the Board (Serving concurrently as Chief Executive Officer of GMO Research)

After graduating from the Faculty of Education at Shiga University, Mr. Hosokawa began his career by undertaking a position with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which saw him work for two years at the Japanese Embassy in Ethiopia. Being well-paid and living in a mansion, Mr. Hosokawa came to feel limited by the bureaucracy’s tendency to do its absolute best to waste money. This compelled him to test himself in the private sector.

In 1998 Mr. Hosokawa joined the component operations division of Kenwood Corporation. Here he was in charge of product planning, overseas sales, and the launch of a U.S. sales affiliate. Experiencing CD-ROM drive, digital audio, PC speaker, and other products, he gained broad experience in all aspects of business.

Mr. Hosokawa then acquired systematic business management skills by receiving his MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management in the United States in 2001. 2001 also saw Mr. Hosokawa join KPMG Consulting, Inc. (presently BearingPoint, Inc.) where he managed new business launches, global CRM strategy formulation, and various other consulting projects, for manufacturing clients.

In 2005 Mr. Hosokawa joined the GMO Group and helped to establish GMO Research, Inc. He then proceeded to concentrate his energies on the promotion of Internet research methods to the Japanese market, eventually being named as CEO in April 2006.

From January 15, 2009, Mr. Hosokawa will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer at Japan Market Intelligence K.K., serving concurrently as CEO of GMO Research, Inc.

Tsuneo Orito
General Manager

After graduating from the literature department of Sophia University, Tsuneo went on to become a researcher at Yano Research Institute. There he worked on industry research mostly in real estate (shopping centers), hotel development, cosmetics, and apparel.

After finishing at Yano, Tsuneo became the division director for Infoplan Inc (currently TNS Infoplan). At Infoplan he worked on overseas research projects and designed research aimed at helping Western companies enter the Japanese market, mainly focusing on luxury brands and cosmetics.

After leaving Infoplan, Tsuneo became the representative director of a marketing research agency and later retired from that life to be on the advisory board of GMO-Research. Currently he is the general manager for Japan Market Intelligence.

Tatsuhiro Gomi
Research Dept. Director

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, he 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 launching activity to revitalize the brand from the concept creation through ATL/BTL executions. In order to revitalize and generate trials, he focused on opinion leader marketing programs to convey the accurate brand message to the target audiences to gain social credibility.

He joined JMI in 2007, where he will be working in the project management division managing projects for domestic and international clients.

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