Tokyo (SCCIJ) – The 40th Annual General Meeting of the SCCIJ membership has elected four new board members. We introduce them here through brief interviews, continuing with Mr. Nobuhiro Tajima (Vice President at Zuica International) and Mr. Matthias Y. Sutter (General Manager at Shangri-La Hotel Tokyo).
Nobuhiro Tajima, Executive Vice President at Zuica International (© N. Tajima)
SCCIJ: Mr. Tajima, please introduce yourself briefly.
Nobuhiro Tajima: I am currently Executive Vice President at Zuica International. Our main business is management and operation of Hotel Grand Phenix Okushiga, and the expansion of the new brand “ZUICA” starting this year. I did Alpine ski racing as a student and had training and races in Switzerland. After retiring, I moved to England and took a Master’s degree at the University of Bath. I worked at Fuji Xerox for 15 years doing sales, marketing, corporate strategy, and business planning. Also, I spent seven years as Vice President of Fuji Xerox China in Shanghai with responsibility for marketing.
SCCIJ: Why did you decide to work for the chamber as a member of the executive committee?
Nobuhiro Tajima: After joining the SCCIJ in 2020, I participated in several events and activities and enjoyed communicating with other SCCIJ members and guests. Also, I watched the efforts of the SCCIJ board and office during the COVID-19 pandemic. They worked hard to organize the events and came up with new means to reach the membership like webinars and a virtual salon.
SCCIJ: What does the chamber mean for you, and your organization?
Nobuhiro Tajima: I believe that my role in the chamber will bring new experiences, knowledge, and stimulation to me which help me grow professionally. Also, through my role in the chamber, more SCCIJ members and guests will learn to know our hotel and brand and maybe visit Shigakogen.
SCCIJ: What other services should the chamber offer?
Nobuhiro Tajima: I do not have a clear answer to this question and will find out through my experiences on the board. But I think we should continue to provide a comfortable environment for the membership. The situation of the chamber may be compared to the hotel industry. At Zuica, I introduced new customer activities and communications. As a result, our business is now better than before the pandemic. I think I may be able to contribute ideas to attract more people and promote the chamber more effectively.
Matthias Y. Sutter, General Manager, Shangri-La Hotel Tokyo (© M. Sutter)
SCCIJ: Mr. Sutter, Please introduce yourself briefly.
Matthias Y. Sutter: I am a “Gastgeber” through and through with over 25 years of experience in the luxury sector, with the past 20 years in Asia – Shanghai, Hong Kong, Seoul, Bangkok, and Tokyo. Starting within this industry from the food & beverage division, I have been fortunate to head some of the top hotels within Asia. Two years ago, I have taken the helm at Shangri-la Tokyo as the General Manager and Representative Director for Japan, currently overseeing 300 associates. We, my wife Elia, our twins Adriana and Sebastian, and I decided to stay in Japan for the long run as we feel Japan brings the best of both worlds (Switzerland & Asia) and we feel truly at home here.
SCCIJ: Why did you decide to work for the chamber as a member of the executive committee?
Matthias Y. Sutter: Being a hotelier, I have the opportunity to host many different events daily and have access to a wide variety of guests including the high-profile clientele. Hence, I see my potential to create and promote social interactivities as well as to organize events for SCCIJ members and representatives of other organizations, authorities, or affiliations.
Last year, I was able to co-organize two SCCIJ-Golf tournaments at Izu Heights Golf Club and it gave me enormous pleasure to contribute to the SCCIJ members and friends. Professionally, I can support Swiss products in various areas (Amenities and Food & Beverage), supporting trade between Switzerland and Japan, another objective of the SCCIJ.
SCCIJ: What does the chamber mean for you and your organization?
Matthias Y. Sutter: Last year, I was elected as a Japan delegate of the Council of the Swiss Abroad (CSA). Being a member of the SCCIJ executive committee will allow me to create many synergies between both assignments. In particular, the Swiss Chamber allows me to connect to other “Eidgenossen” on a professional and personal level. This is important to me as even after 21 years aboard (or maybe, especially because of) I still feel my strong roots in Switzerland. Therefore, I see the chamber as an extended arm of Switzerland, its culture, tradition, and way of life all of which are very precious to me.
SCCIJ: What other services should the chamber offer?
Matthias Y. Sutter: Frankly speaking I don’t see the need in offering other services like the ones which are in place. However, focusing on those services and executing them brilliantly is key.
The previous interview with the other two newly elected board members for the SCCIJ board of 2022 is published here.
Interviews: Martin Fritz for SCCIJ
