Getting to know Yuri Sugawara

If there is one thing Blackshaw Partners is founded on and proud to boast about, it is the level of diversity present on our team. Our core team includes more women than men and represents multiple ethnicities and areas of experience. That diversity of experience and background is certainly personified in Yuri Sugawara.

Yuri is a Retained Executive Search professional whose role is mainly in Japan, U.S., and Mexico. She is charged with conducting comprehensive searches for often hard-to-locate, key, multilingual and/or multicultural operational global executives and managers who can be trusted to properly implement high standards of quality and performance.

Yuri is originally from Tokyo but she has also lived in Mexico and the United States. Because of her background and time abroad, she offers a full and unique understanding of the complexities of multiple cultures within the business sector. Whether you are familiar with Japanese culture or not, you may know that Japan has a very unique business culture and deeply ingrained practices and traditions. Having Yuri on the team, someone who both speaks the language and understands the culture, has proven to be invaluable.

Yuri has a certain superpower for identifying the strengths of different cultures as well as effectively navigating their unique differences. Throughout her career, Yuri has focused on a singular goal: helping clients achieve maximum success and growth.

We sat down with Yuri to discuss her unique journey and how that experience contributes to the Blackshaw Partners’ mission:

Tell us about your experience. How/Where did you start?

Yuri: I started out in a marketing position, working closely with the mayors and other city and county team members of their Economic Development Departments to create and deliver marketing strategies that would bring more business to their regions.

As I gained more experience in regional domestic business development, I began working on international business development in both the Brazilian and Japanese markets. Originally from Japan, I felt that my Japanese language skills and understanding of their culture, coupled with my previous business experience, would be an asset to Japanese companies here in the United States. 

I met Brian Blackshaw and soon after joined Blackshaw Partners to manage Asian clients. I worked closely with Brian as he mentored and taught me what I needed to know about the executive search business in order to be successful. Now I have made a career in the field of executive recruiting with Blackshaw Partners for almost 10 years.

How do you think your cultural background has helped influence your personal experience as an executive recruiter?

Yuri: As a former Japanese national, who has been living in the U.S. for the past 20+ years, I believe I bring a unique and qualified perspective when advising my clients, as I understand both the synergies and the differences between the Japanese and the U.S. business mindsets and cultures.

As Japanese companies look to install “local” management often replacing “Ex-Pats,” understanding these synergies and differences is a key factor in sourcing executives who are not only highly qualified for the role but are also capable of navigating the unique situations that will arise between the Japanese Headquarters and local teams.

Diversity of the workplace in both management and direct/ indirect labor is increasing at a fast pace.  Building and leading a high performing multicultural team requires a special set of skills that I must be able to identify in a potential candidate. 

Over the past 10 years, for two of which I was living and working in Mexico, I have gained much insight as to the characteristics and skills that high performing professionals must have in order to succeed in the diverse multicultural environments found within our clients’ organizations.

Through my understanding and my passion of the “Transplanted Japanese Business Culture” here in the United States and abroad, as well as my dedication to both my clients and candidates, and backed up by a great team to assist me, we have established a proven track record with a unique value proposition that cannot easily be found elsewhere.

What are the major differences with the way Japanese-owned businesses operate and staff when compared to the U.S.?

Yuri: Not all Japanese companies operate the same way, but most Japanese manufacturing companies operate with similar principles, the most common being “Monozukuri,” when translated means “Production or Making of Things.” The broader philosophy encompasses a synthesis of technological prowess, knowledge and a spirit of Japan’s manufacturing practices. This spirit includes a sincere attitude towards production with pride, skill and dedication to the pursuit of innovation and perfection. This attitude differs from U.S. companies, as it is a core belief and not a program or initiative that you implement, it is a subconscious behavior deeply rooted in the psychology of the Japanese employee.

Another key difference between Japanese and U.S. companies is that the Japanese employees tend to be loyal and stay with their company for many years, often, for their entire career. Whereas, U.S. employees tend to move up the ladder by taking a better position at another company.

Other differences include; more defined roles and metrics used by U.S. companies versus subtle cues and verbal discussion to guide an employee’s activities. Compensation packages often differ between the Japanese and U.S. companies; the Japanese are valued more for their seniority than their performance, where U.S. companies tend to value performance over seniority.

 

You’ve worked heavily in the manufacturing and aerospace industries, placing high-level executives in several different countries. Can you tell us how, if at all, the manufacturing and aerospace industry has evolved since you started in executive recruitment?

Yuri: During my tenure here at Blackshaw, I have seen Japanese transplants in the manufacturing and aerospace industry evolve to adopt a more “Western” style of management and operations practices while maintaining some key philosophies like “Monozukuri.” For example, many companies are granting local management the power to make certain types of decisions on their own to enable them to act or react faster to changes in the market.

Manufacturing companies are looking to buffer their supply chain through vertical integration where possible. Over the past five years, I have seen manufacturing companies implement a more aggressive M&A strategy to grow market share and strategically locate their business units closer to their customers and/ or their own manufacturing facilities.  

Compensation plans are also evolving as some companies have introduced profit sharing or stock options to incentivize the local executives.

 

Anything else you’d like us to know about?

Yuri: Growing up in Japan and living the practice of “Monozukuri” every day, I became interested in understanding how things are made, which led to a career tied to manufacturing.

I love the Honda Jet because it was born out of the Japanese spirit towards production with pride, skill and dedication to the pursuit of innovation and perfection. The team at Honda Jet had a dream to design and build the world’s most advanced light jet and—using the principles of “Monozukuri”—they succeeded. 

It’s clear that Yuri Sugawara’s role is essential to the success of Blackshaw Partners, both across Japan, U.S., and Mexico and as the company continues to expand globally and diversify locally. Yuri’s reach across some of the most difficult-to-navigate business markets in the world cannot be overstated. Blackshaw Partners is lucky to have such a force on its team.

Connect with Blackshaw Partners and Yuri today to learn more about their unique approach to executive search. Yuri@blackshawpartners.com and (404) 717- 9921.