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Cartier Japan President & CEO Jun Miyaji
Jun Miyaji, who became the top Japanese woman for the first time since the establishment of Cartier Japan. What is she aiming for now, with her inauguration as Korona-ka and carrying great expectations from her home country? We talked to her about what she cares about, as well as her feelings for her job.I want to send from Japan globally
──First of all, can you talk about your work as a self-introduction? Miyaji: Due to her father's work, I spent most of my time between the ages of 2 and 17 in Europe and returned to Japan when I entered university. When I went out into society, I wanted to get involved in manufacturing even if I got a job at a Japanese manufacturer, but I was told by an investment bank that I needed to understand the numbers in order to read the business in order to make things. I got a job. After that, I studied abroad at the French business school INSEAD, and for the first time learned about brand business, which adds value such as designability and emotion to manufacturing, and I was fascinated by it. After she joined LVMH from there, she had a connection with Cartier in 2017 and continues to this day. Of course, the reason why he changed his job to Cartier was his longing for the brand, but the current global head, Cyrille Vigneron (currently Cartier International President & CEO) is also a wonderful person, and how he changed the brand. There was also a reason I wanted to see where I was going. She joined Cartier as Head of Marketing & Communications and took up her current position in August 2020. After all, it was Corona all the time, so from the first day it was a greeting at ZOOM, and the theme was how to connect with employees. As for the content of my own work, I think that the height we should aim for is like setting a hurdle and creating soil. I think it's my job to think about how to create connections and a sense of unity through corporate culture and the communication contained therein, and how to nurture Purpose. Is it a feeling that the soil is tampered with, improved, cultivated, and then the niece grows? ──What kind of motivation has been pushing your back since you were in your current position? Miyaji: Sometimes I get scolded by customers, and I was thrilled when I arrived, but when I think about it, they scold me because I have high expectations for the brand. I am grateful for that, and I feel the responsibility to lead the brand that bears that expectation. ──I think you were selected as the president because of such a strong sense of responsibility. Miyaji: At first, I asked myself, "Why am I?" And thought about what I could contribute to. Since the establishment of the Japanese branch office, the position of the president has been foreigner except for the first one, so I came to the point of pursuing how I can connect with the local market and the field in the future as a Japanese. .. Cartier is a brand with the idea of empowering local organizations. Japan is positioned as a region without being grouped as Asia Pacific. We are grateful that Japan has its own market and is recognized as an important market with a very sophisticated culture and customers. At the same time, I am trying to be aware of how to meet those expectations and how much we can communicate globally from Japan. Japan's sense of luxury and values are very amateurish, and I think there are many things that can be transmitted from Japan. It may be a country that is not good at transmitting information, but I want to continue to be a shining market, and I have the motivation to surprise the global market.Women's Advancement Promotion Business and Sustainability Initiatives
── Cartier is a brand that everyone longs for, but in recent years it has shown new movements in fields such as promoting women's advancement and developing products that take sustainability into consideration. Can you explain the background of such changes? Miyaji: We have been working on activities to promote women's advancement from early on. Originally, women played an important role in Cartier, so it can be said that women's support started naturally. Looking back on history, it was unheard of to hire a woman in the jewelery industry in the 1930s, but with the voice of Louis Cartier's crane, Jeanne Toussaint became the chief jewelery chief. She was herself, she was La, she was called Panthère, but the supple, strong, dignified female image of Panthère is still inherited as Cartier's spirit. Against this background, the Cartier Women's Initiative (CWI), which supports female entrepreneurs, and the Women's Pavilion and Cartier Philanthropy, which were co-founded with the 2020 Dubai International Exposition, support the education of women and children. We are engaged in various activities such as activities. ──I think the presence of President Miyaji made you more persuasive. Also impactful in terms of sustainability was the announcement of a new movement powered by photovoltaics. Miyaji: I think it's a work that embodies the coexistence of beauty and sustainability as Cartier. When smartwatches became a hot topic a few years ago, wouldn't Cartier make smartwatches? I was often asked, but Cyril declared that he would never do it. The reason is that the technology inside the smartwatch will be replaced in just a year or two, while our watch case has a universal design that will last for over 100 years and will continue to do so. It is inherited from generation to generation. The theory was that by incorporating technology with a short expiration date, the watch itself should not have an expiration date. So what can we do? The answer I came up with was "Solar Beat ™," a movement powered by photovoltaic power generation, in addition to the traditional "tank her mast." Fortunately, we received a lot of feedback and succeeded as a Maison. ──How does President Miyaji plan to promote sustainability initiatives in the future? Miyaji: The major initiative is led by the head office, and we have already achieved net zero greenhouse gases and are about to make it even more negative, but in the future we would like to contribute to the realization of carbon negative in Japan as well. thinking about. However, there are limits to what we can do on our own, and there are many areas where we must agree with our partner companies, including department stores, so we would like to make efforts to create such a movement. Headquarters made the first statement a few months ago in collaboration with RJC (Council for Responsible Jewelery Industry) on how to take sustainable action globally, but the current situation is in Switzerland. The brand is taking the lead. I would like to work with major Japanese brands to expand their activities beyond national borders and barriers.I want to be close to beautiful women who don't flock, don't flirt
──What is the work style and policy that Mr. Miyaji values? Miyaji: I'm in a good mood. The rule of thumb is that work is fun, otherwise I think it's better to quit. Sometimes I get sick at home, but my husband asks me, "Do you like it?" And I can recover again (laughs). ──What do you want to work on from now on? Miyaji: Cartier is a company that makes things, and I think we will continue to make things that will continue for decades and hundreds of years. I have a view of women as "beautiful women," and I want to be a brand that gives courage to women in order to increase the number of such women in Japan. That is why I would like to focus on corporate activities such as the "Women's Pavilion" initiative aimed at empowering women. ──What does Miyaji-san, one of those shining women, keep in mind in her daily life? Miyaji: Do you meet people who have nothing to do with your work, including old friendships? It will broaden your horizons in a relaxed relationship. Also, it is very important to come into contact with beautiful things such as art, so I try to go to museums as an eye candy. I want to go to more stages and concerts. ──What are your hobbies? Miyaji: I am cleaning the garden on weekends. At the weekend house, weeds are pulled out, soil is tampered with, and flowers and herbs are grown. It's very easy to understand because it becomes beautiful and returns just by touching it. It's difficult for children to understand (laughs), but I like the fact that plants make a visible difference. ──You have children, right? Miyaji: There are three people. The oldest child is 5 years old. ──It's very busy, isn't it? Miyaji: Yes. I don't have much time for myself (laughs). ──What kind of person do you want to grow up? Miyaji: Education from parents is very important, including their values, and in the end, what my parents said is important. Since I was a kid, I had never been categorized as "because I am a woman". Partly because of that, my son scolded me the other day because he said, "I don't think you can do it because XX is a girl." I want people who are not prejudiced and embarrassed to grow up. For that reason, I try to show the real thing and the reality. Recently, I have more opportunities to work from home, so I dare to show myself working. I think it is a good education for children to have more opportunities to interact with various adults, such as having work-related visitors and musicians with whom they have a friendship. It would be interesting if Forbes JAPAN SALON could create such an opportunity. ──Let's plan a salon event that you can participate in with your children. By the way, what are the things and values that Mr. Miyaji cherishes in his work? Miyaji: It's not a thing, but we value health, trust, curiosity, and imagination. I often talk about imagination and curiosity in the welcome speech of new graduates, but I myself am a person who has lived on that alone (laughs). Regarding trust, I think it is important to be a reliable companion, to believe in yourself, and to believe in others. ──Who is the person you admire to be a role model? Miyaji: My grandfather. I was a business owner, and I was very brilliant, and I grew up watching it from an early age. While there was some direct learning, the people around my grandfather told me through something like a grandfather's vocabulary and books. That word has become very helpful now that I am also a manager. ──For example, what kind of words do you have? Miyaji: "Business is a numerical value, but by adding sensibility to it, people come to life. That is management." So is "functional equality". The idea is that everyone, be it the president or the section chief, is on an equal footing in fulfilling their duties. ──Your grandfather will surely be pleased with your current appearance. If you have any expectations for Forbes JAPAN SALON, please let us know. Miyaji: I'm grateful to be able to connect with other people. I am busy with work every day, so my horizons expand. The range of activities that you usually do is surprisingly narrow, so the farther you are from your industry, the more you will be interested. Also, I realize that there are still few female business owners in my current position. I hope that the number of women in the salon will increase. ──Lastly, I would like to ask you, but if you have a special item that you bought as a reward for yourself at Cartier, please introduce it. Miyaji: This fragrance case is my latest shopping. I really like the retro and elegant feel of the case, which is reminiscent of old Cartier lighters. The scent of kumquat was refreshing and I immediately liked it. Another thing, this pantail ring is also very important to me.Miyachi Jun ◎ Cartier Japan President & Chief His Executive His Officer. After graduating from the Faculty of Law, Kyoto University, he joined a foreign-affiliated securities company. He started his career in the luxury industry after earning an MBA from INSEAD. In 2017, he was Richemont, he joined Japan Co., Ltd., and Cartier Japan became General Manager of Marketing & Communication Division. He has been in his current position since August 2020.
Promoted by Forbes JAPAN SALON / text_Mari Maeda (lefthands) edit_Shigekazu Ohno (lefthands) photographs_Takao Ota
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