Former mentors inspire 'pay it forward' approach
Name: Peter Jennings Title: President, Dow Japan and Korea (since June 2012) URL: jp.dow.com/ja-jp DoB: Jan. 22, 1960 Hometown: West Branch, Missouri Years in Japan: 6 American Peter Jennings vividly remembers the day he was called into his CEO's office. "He said, 'I have a question for you. Would you ...
Unforeseen detour leads back to Japan, dream job
Name: Salem al-Marri Title: Country Manager, Japan, Emirates (since February 2018) URL: www.emirates.com DOB: July 27, 1980 Hometown: Dubai Working years in Japan: 3 Somehow, Japan just seems to keep pulling Salem al-Marri back into its orbit. As the recently appointed country manager for the United Arab Emirates' flagship airline, ...
Insurance leader proud to be there in times of need
Name: Kenneth Reilly Title: President and CEO, AIG General Insurance Co. Ltd. (since January 2018) URL: www.aig.co.jp/sonpo DOB: Aug. 29, 1973 Hometown: Kobe Working years in Japan: 8 Kenneth Reilly, president and CEO, AIG General Insurance Co. Ltd., is the first to admit that insurance isn't sexy. Laughing that most people ...
Newcomer sees chances to improve bilateral relations
Name: Elin Flygenring Title: Ambassador of Iceland (since January 2018) URL: www.iceland.is/iceland-abroad/jp/english DOB: May 12, 1957 Hometown: Hafnarfjordur, Iceland Years in Japan: Less than a year With a population of just 336,000, on the surface the Nordic nation of Iceland may not seem to have much in common with Japan, ...
Greece's outbound ambassador passes torch
Loukas Karatsolis, the outgoing Greek ambassador, met with The Japan Times at the embassy in April to share upcoming developments. He predicted a busy time ahead, with Japan and Greece celebrating 120 years of diplomatic ties in 2019.
CEO's eye for opportunity forged from global career
Name: Hans Heijligers Title: CEO, IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan (since January 2016) URL: www.anaihghotels.co.jp DOB: Sept. 10, 1959 Hometown: Amsterdam Years in Japan: 5 For IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan CEO Hans Heijligers, Japan's efforts in the men's 4x100-meter relay during the 2016 Olympics speak volumes about Japanese ...
Ken Theriault: Wholesale retailers relish ongoing success in Japan
When Ken Theriault heard Miyagi-born crooner Muneyuki Sato's "Arigatou" at a function in Sendai heralding the impending retirement of Kentaro Ohyama from his role as president of Iris Ohyama, the song shook him to his core.
Importance of friendship transcends march of time
A former high-flying chemical engineer working in fertilizer development and management, it's no surprise that Indonesia's Ambassador to Japan Arifin Tasrif, was once working all across the Indonesian archipelago in Borneo, Sumatra and Java. Of no less importance, especially given his current role, is ...
As HMI expands, sights set on drawing Indian visitors
Name: Ryuko Hira Title: Representative Director of Hotel Management International Co. (since June 2010) URL: www.hmi-hotel.co.jp DOB: May 30, 1948 Hometown: Jaipur, India Years in Japan: 52 When 24 million people visited Japan in 2016, it marked the first time the number surpassed 20 million, a figure that the government ...
Grass-roots involvement enhances 150-year relations
Name: Gonzalo de Benito Title: Ambassador of Spain (since January 2015) URL: www.exteriores.gob.es/Embajadas/TOKIO DOB: Nov. 15, 1951 Hometown: Madrid Years in Japan: 3 At 66 years of age, Spain's Ambassador to Japan, Gonzalo de Benito, shows no signs of slowing down. He has official and other duties — like ...
Hands-on leadership, empathy buoy chairman
Name: Sachin N. Shah Title: Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of MetLife Insurance K.K. (since August 2013) URL: www.metlife.co.jp/ DOB: Aug. 28, 1967 Hometown: North Bergen, New Jersey Years in Japan: 7 Sachin N. Shah's love for Japan began with a Toyota Tercel, his first car after he ...
Long journey on winding road leads back to Japan
The welcome that Brad Bennett, senior vice president, Chubb Group and regional president, Far East, received when he first visited Japan in 1979 was textbook rock and roll.
