Wieden+Kennedy names new Tokyo MD

Independent creative agency Wieden+Kennedy has brought in Yosuke Suzuki, previously MD at R/GA Tokyo, to head up its Tokyo office. Ryan Fisher, MD since 2018, is departing for a role as head of growth at W+K London.

Suzuki had been with R/GA Tokyo since it started in 2017, first as executive strategy director and then as managing director starting in 2018. He has worked in Japan, the US, the UK, and Southeast Asia in senior strategy positions with Dentsu, Naked Communications, DDB and BBH, as well as a client-side stint with Coca-Cola. He will lead W+K's Tokyo team alongside Scott Dungate, who has been ECD since 2019. 

“It's a really exciting time to join Wieden+Kennedy. The roster of clients and the recent work over the last year, since [Dungate] has taken the creative helm, has been impressive," Suzuki said. "At a time when Japanese brands are looking for thinking and partners who go beyond the status quo, W+K Tokyo feels future-ready." 

The agency's clients include local brands Oronine, Beautiful People and Body Mainté, as well as global clients Nike, Ikea and Audi. The office also does a significant amount of work for the Korea market on behalf of brands including Netflix, Harlan+Holden and AB Inbev.

“The experience Yosuke brings from a strategic, business, client-side, international and Japanese perspective is very rare, and something we think will continue W+K Tokyo moving to interesting places," Dungate said. "Add to this Yosuke’s humble but confident character, and we couldn’t be more excited for what the future holds.”

Tuomas Peltoniemi, EVP and managing director of R/GA Asia Pacific, said it's been an honour working with Suzuki, and that R/GA wishes him nothing but the best. “Yosuke has been a key member of R/GA Tokyo, having been one of the founding members of the office back in 2017," Peltoniemi told Campaign Asia-Pacific. "He has helped lay the foundations of success for R/GA Tokyo, underpinned by collaborative and multidisciplinary teams. This foundation has enabled us to work with many Japanese and global brands, growing them locally and internationally during his time. He leaves R/GA Tokyo in great shape, and I'm very excited about the next chapter of success for the office under our current leadership team, as we appoint our new managing director."

Colleen DeCourcy, W+K global president and CCO said that at a time when more international agencies are looking to set up shop in Japan, Wieden+Kennedy is already celebrating its 22nd anniversary there, with a globally diverse staff that represents a "secret weapon" in the market.