镰田正志 资生堂第一位精通汉语的总经理

从仓库管理做起

Steven:我想知道,在资生堂您的第一份工作是什么?

镰田:我的第一份工作就是仓库的管理。因为我刚入社,我们的部门人事把所有的新人分配到各地区的分公司。那么有的人就直接做营业的工作,但是我不知道什么原因,被分配到仓库,我当时非常为难,因为我自己也是从比较好的学校毕业,我认为是一个比较优秀的人物吧。

Steven:当时您在学校学的是什么专业呢?

镰田:法律。所以那个时候分配到仓库,当时觉得非常为难,但是现在反过来看,因为那个时候呢,日本的名古屋,就是名古屋这个分公司很大,那个分公司的产品管理部是一个很大的部门,那么就是一年每个季节,因为化妆品是季节性的产品,所以春天夏天秋冬天销售好的产品都不一样,那么通过不同产品的流动,每天的出库等等都知道,所以这个我觉得是一个非常好的机会,非常感谢当时的那个部门的老板。

Steven:您知道资生堂做的这个事业吗? 您对化妆品行业感兴趣吗?

镰田:刚毕业的时候,我拜访了不少的公司,包括贸易公司,很多的贸易公司,还有银行,还有一些化妆品类行业,还有几个,我感兴趣的范围比较广。结果呢,我选择了就是市场开发,这方面比较厉害的单位,两三个月后选择资生堂了。

Steven:那在您加入资生堂公司之前,您期望从资生堂公司里学到怎么样的东西?

镰田:当然就是,更简单地说,化妆品是有信用的产品。所以习惯来说化妆品的展销会意义这方面我入社以前了解得不是特别深刻,特别准确。当然我的妈妈也好,我的亲戚也好,周边的人都是日本的老板,都认为资生堂是很厉害的一个牌子,很多很多人爱用资生堂的产品,所以我觉得为什么这么多人热爱资生堂的产品,这个肯定有一个秘密,一个理由,所以我觉得入社之后这是我一直想的,为什么这么多人爱这个产品?

Steven:后来加入资生堂公司,您找到这其中的原因了吗?

镰田:原因呢,也有个说法。我的一个解答就是因为我们公司很重视产品的开发,非常爱护我们自己的产品。我分配到分公司的时候,第一年仓库管理之后,我负责营业了,营业就是跟合作伙伴打交道。

因为公司很重视我们自己的产品,所以这样一个经营的哲学可能让人感觉到,哦,开发这个产品,可能使用产品以后,开发负责人的一种热情这方面能够感受到。所以这样一种产品代表我们公司的理念,这方面是一个公司长期发展这么好的一个原因。

Steven:我想恭喜一下镰田先生荣升为资生堂中国区的总经理,您有什么感受?

镰田:当然就是非常荣幸,非常exciting,压力也很大吧。但是因为我担任总经理的工作,那么希望我领导之下,我们的员工能够感觉,啊,跟我一起合作很开心,给资生堂服务非常荣幸,很骄傲。

第一位精通汉语的总经理

Steven:那我们说说看您跟中国的缘分吧,15年前。

镰田:对,15年前。本来是刚入社以后,朋友介绍的名古屋分公司的一个活动。之后,公司让我去新加坡学习汉语,就是mandarin,普通话。因为接近30年,20年前中国化妆品行业还没有开始发展,但是资生堂的领导有很大的信心觉得中国的未来的化妆品有很大的市场,所以那个时候开始培养会讲中文的人才,所以我是比较早的这些人才之一,我在新加坡的国立大学学习,就是在那边学习汉语。然后回到亚洲,亚洲的管理工作,然后1994年开始上海的常驻代表。

Steven:这一段学习汉语的经历对您理解中国文化和跟中国员工的沟通有怎样的帮助?

镰田:有很大帮助。因为我是担任总经理,第一任会讲中文的一个日本人总经理,所以一般的工作当中,生活当中也好,与员工的交流,能够直接跟他们说话,直接能够听他们的建议,当然和合作伙伴吃饭的时间也好,谈话也好,直接可以进行商务活动,这样子有很大很大的帮助,互相理解,文化的理解,还有当然就是各方面的,很大的帮助。

Steven:但是中国人和日本人在做事方式上面总会有一点点小小的区别,我想知道您在跟中国的同事一块儿共事的时候,有没有一些对事情理解上的一些偏差?有一些不一样的地方?

镰田:中国人的想法和日本人的想法有的时候不一样,这个我能感觉到。打个比方,日本人是开会的时候比较安静,就是有意见也不会发言,这样子的人比较多,但是中国人是很主动的。

Steven:是不是中国同事和中国员工的加入也丰富了资生堂的企业文化?

镰田:当然,所以我认为这样子的一种多文化,对我们公司的发展是非常重要的。所以现在我们日本也有,日本本部其它国家的员工慢慢会多了,那么当然就是,我们现在发展成国际性的企业。那么以前开会是日语为主,通过英文的翻译来进行活动。但现在比如说英文为主,这样子日本的国内也有普通的这么一个机会,所以这样子一种文化的多元化就是肯定会对公司的发展或是一个文化的各方面有很多的帮助。

Steven:您父母从事的职业有没有影响到您?

镰田:当然有不小的影响。我的祖父以前也负责海外的工作,中国方面也有一定的缘分。虽然刚入社的时候一点都没有中国方面的,但是过一段时间以后,我一直负责中国的业务,我的父亲一直特别地高兴。

Steven:所以我们用20多年证明您的眼光非常不错?

镰田:确实,我也没有想到。20年以前,我第一次来到中国的时候就是1985年左右,那个时候谁会设想到20年后的中国会有这么伟大的发展。

Steven:是,不过20多年前您看到的中国的化妆品行业应该是一个起步的阶段。您看到那个时候的女孩子是怎样的情况?

镰田:我第一次来到中国的时候,就是去的地方是北京,80年代初左右的北京吧,当然就是化妆的特别少,好像有点化妆品不是很好的事情,但是我觉得大家都知道资生堂这三个字,当然因为跟日本搞各种交流的过程中,可能有人以各种方式接触了资生堂的产品,所以北京也好,上海也好,很多人认识资生堂的产品。所以呢,我感觉,哦,这样一个market,这样子的一个市场,虽然现在还没有开始开发,还没有开始起步,但是我有非常强烈的印象记得,这个market绝对很好,什么都没有却还是有这么多人认识我们的产品,这个很厉害。

(本文及图片由沪江网

独家特约提供)

Kamada Masashi―― Shiseido’s first general manager is fluent in Mandarin

Starting from the warehouse management

Steven: What was your first job in Shiseido?

Kamada: My first job was warehouse management. When I just joined the company, I was assigned to branch in other region by HR of our department. Someone was in charge of business, but my job was warehouse management for no reason. I felt very sad at that time, because I had graduated from prestigious college with outstanding mark.

Kamada: Law. That’s why I felt very sad. But when I look back, I would consider myself as a lucky dog. Nagoya branch was a very large one and its department of product management was big as well. And cosmetic are seasonal products, so the best-seller of each month was different. Then I had an opportunity to know the details of the products, for example, every day’s stock in and stock out. I’d like to appreciate my boss for giving me such a wonderful opportunity to get to know those information.

Steven: Did you know the Shiseido’s business? Were you interested in cosmetic?

Kamada: I have visited some companies including cosmetic companies, some trade companies and some banks when I just graduated. I was interested in a lot of things. I chose some companies strong in marketing development after deliberation. Finally, I became an employee of Shiseido in the next several months.

Steven: What you wanted to learn from Shiseido before you joined it?

Kamada: That is, simply, most people credit cosmetic. I didn’t have clear idea of cosmetic fair before I was a part of the company. Bosses of my mother, relatives and people around me were all Japanese. They all credited Shiseido was great and loved it. So I guessed there must be a reason that so many Japanese loved Shiseido. And that’s the question I wanted to figure it out after I joined the company.

Steven: Did you figured it out after you had joined the company?

Kamada:My answer is Shiseido always focuses on its products’ R&D and cherishes its products’ reputation. After the first year in warehouse, I was then in charge of business. This task included partners contacting, factories management, employee cultivation and something about myself. We considered each campaign and product will keep lifetime. So our company has been developing every product at pains. Customers may have a sense of our business philosophy and enthusiasm from our products. Such products can reflect our company’s principle. That is the reason Shiseido has developed so well.

Steven: You have been promoted to the general manager of Shiseido China. Congratulation! What’s your feeling right now?

Kamada: I feel honor and very exciting. But I also have a sense of pressure. I’m general manager now. I wish my staff and I could enjoy good relationship in the office and they feel honor and proud to be part of Shiseido.

The first manager is fluent in Mandarin

Steven: So tell us something about your relationship with China for 15 years.

Kamada: It was 15 years ago when I just joined the company. My friend told me Nagoya branch conducted a project. Then, the company sent me to Singapore to learn Mandarin. The China’s cosmetic market is almost blank 20 or 30 years ago. But leaders were confident that China would become a huge potential market. And company began to cultivate some talents who can speak Mandarin; I was one among them in the early period. I learnt Mandarin in National University of Singapore. Then I was in charge of Asia management when I came back. And since 1994, I have become a permanent representative in Shanghai.

Steven: How the Mandarin learning helped you to understand the China’s culture and to communicate with your staff?

Kamada: It has helped me a lot. I was the first general manager mastering Mandarin. So I could communicate with them directly on duty and off duty. And in turn, they could give me some advice face-to-face. And I can talk with partners at table, in the campaign on my own. All of these can enhance mutual-understanding, cultural understanding and in other aspects. They are really helpful!

Steven: These are always some nuance between Chinese and Japanese in the office. Have you had some experience of misunderstanding between you and your Chinese staff? And what were they?

Kamada: Chinese and Japanese have different opinion sometimes. For example, Japanese are relatively quiet in the conference, they would keep silence even have some opinion. But Chinese are much more active.

Steven: So the Chinese employees have enriched the Shiseido’s culture, haven’t they?

Kamada: Yes, of course, I think this multi-culture is very important to us and our company in Japan. There will be more and more foreign staff in Japan Headquarter. Our company has already become a multinational. Japanese was the main language in the meeting earlier and then be interpreted into English. But now English has replaced Japanese. So staff in Japan will have an opportunity to enjoy multi-culture. And the culture diversification will play a positive role in company development.

Steven: Did your father’s career influence you?

Kamada: Centenary, it has affected me a lot. My grandpa was charged of the business oversea, and had some relationship with China, too. Although my business had had no relation with China at beginning, I was charged of the business in China later. My father was very happy about that.

Steven: So the 2 decades proved you are a visionary, didn’t it?

Kamada: Yes. It was about 20 years ago when I have first been to China. Nobody could expect such a huge development happened in China in the next 20 years.

Steven: Yes. China’s cosmetic industry was in the primary stage 20 years ago. What girls look like at that time?

Kamada: The destination when I have first been to China was Beijing. It was in 1980s. Almost no girls in Beijing were make-up. It seemed as something bad. But after some communications, I guessed many of them knew Shiseido through various ways. Indeed, many people in Beijing and Shanghai knew our products. Despite less-developed, this potential market impressed me a lot. There were so many people knew Shiseido even no products hit the China’s market. That’s great!