Meet the team

We believe that the most successful brands know, represent and live their purpose, rather than merely talk about it. Their products do not just sit on a shelf: they instead incorporate, and eventually become relevant to, the cultural context around them.

Why we get up in the morning

PURPOSE, ZONG ZHI, IKIGAI, SINN: there is a word in every language to express why we all get out of bed in the morning. We put our clients’ purpose at the heart of every collaboration, and furthering it is at the core of what we do.

Lateral thinking and bridge-building

Our analysis goes beyond both geography and disciplines: when first delving into the coffee industry, we visited teahouses; for the restaurant of the future, we looked for inspiration in the business class cabins of airlines. We think laterally, and we find in the unexpected angle our most creative ideas.

East Asia has been the pre-eminent formative influence on Yuzu Kyodai’s business. First established in Tokyo, and now with sister offices in Shanghai and Singapore, our international team combines the familiarity of the insider with the curiosity of the outsider. This gives us distance and knowhow: both vital for examining the lifestyle realities of Japan, China, Vietnam, Korea, and other Asian markets.

Team Members

Market research, culture management, space and product engineering, sociology, advertising, innovation management, and political science: our approach to any challenge is always multifaceted. Although well-versed in traditional methodologies, we believe our true forté is an eclectic perspective that is embedded in culture.

Hikaru Okabe

Hikaru Okabe

Copy Writer

Markus Winter

Markus Winter

Founder & Co-CEO

Scott Teng

Scott Teng

Co-Managing Director, Singapore, and Greater China

Sayaka Fujii

Sayaka Fujii

Manager

Yuko Mukai

Yuko Mukai

Office Manager

Anna Maxwell

Anna Maxwell

Advisor

Sven Palys

Sven Palys

Founder & Co-CEO

Emiliano Liviero

Emiliano Liviero

Director

Moéna Verdier

Moéna Verdier

Strategist

Hina Nakamura

Hina Nakamura

Strategist

Jessica Kong

Jessica Kong

Co-Managing Director, Greater China

Takuto Nakano

Takuto Nakano

Digital Marketing Manager

Elena Kim

Elena Kim

Senior Strategist

Sheng Jian

Sheng Jian

Project Manager

Kseniya Kapytouskaya

Kseniya Kapytouskaya

Project Manager

Shaun Lim

Shaun Lim

Strategist

Anri Yoshii

Anri Yoshii

Strategist

Maggie Xia

Maggie Xia

Strategist

Yixuan Fei

Yixuan Fei

Office Manager