Originally from Hyogo, Japan Yoshi holds an Executive MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM), University of New South Wales. He is currently pursing another Master Degree of Digital Media Management at Hyper Island Singapore. Starting his career at advertising agency Leo Burnett’s Tokyo office (Beacon Communications) in 2001, he then continued on to Leo Burnett’s head office in Chicago in 2006, as the second team member in the company’s history to join from Japan. With over 18 years of international marketing experience for global blue chip brands, Yoshi specialises in building enduring brands and the commercialisation of products into new markets. In 2009, he founded cross-cultural marketing agency doq^® in Sydney. Building a diverse cross-cultural team at doq^®, partnering with clients from a broad range of industries, ranging from government institutions to start-ups, the company has grown significantly in the area of marketing products and solutions from Japan. In 2014, Yoshi was invited to speak as a cross-cultural marketing expert at TEDxTitech Tokyo. Since 2014, he has been appointed as the official Australian Market Advisor for the Organization for Small & Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation, Japan.

Managing Director, doq Japan k.k. (General Manager at doq Pty Ltd)
Originally from Osaka, Japan, Ko holds a Master’s Degree from Osaka University Graduate School of Engineering, Department of Applied Physics. In 2002, he began his career at advertising agency Leo Burnett’s Tokyo office (Beacon Communications), leading the communication strategy, TV advertisement implementation and in-store visual merchandising production for one of the world’s largest global fast food brands.

In 2010, Ko began work for the Japanese eyewear brand JINS. During his tenure in charge of both marketing and PR, domestic sales climbed to number one in Japan, fuelling business expansion in to China and America, in which he was also a key contributor.

Ko also led new product development for a PC use eyewear product, JINS PC (currently called JINS Screen), a breakthrough hit product that blocks blue light emitted from electronic devices, which sold over five million units and brought the Japanese brand to a global scale.

In April of 2016, Ko established doq Japan k.k. as the Managing Director.

Originally from Hyogo, Japan, in 2005 Ryuichi started his career at a commercial facility production company, leading event management and PR. In 2007, he worked at ALIEN EYE, a creative boutique agency specialising in digital as a COO / producer. In 2013, the company joined the Mullen Group, where he then worked as a COO / Head of Platforms, managing digital marketing and platform development for many global brands.
Ryuichi joined doq® in 2017 as Head of Digital, establishing d.doq Pty. Ltd (doq®‘s digital marketing agency) as Managing Director.

Originally from Yokohama, Japan, Mihoko holds a Master’s Degree in Tourism, Hotel and Event Management from the University of Queensland. Mihoko’s passion lies in connecting cultures and people through tourism and events, and began her career managing logistics for conferences seminars and receptions at White & Case, a prestigious international law firm in Tokyo. After joining doq^® in 2014, Mihoko has utilised her knowledge and skills to delivery campaigns and events for clients such as the Japan National Tourism Organization’s Sydney Office, Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau, Aomori Prefecture, Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau’s, All Nippon Airways and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan.

She holds the title of doq^® “Crew of the Year” for 2016 and 2015, an award given to the company’s most valuable employee.

Originally from Tokyo, Japan. Kota completed a Bachelor of Architect at the University of Japan. From the desire to contribute to people’s lives from the perspective of communication, he joined the JTB Communication Design Co. Ltd., a producer within the JTB Group, specialising in tourism promotion. He mainly engaged in tourism promotion of railway companies, local governments, business development related to regional activities and planning of public works. As the Tourism Nation Promotion has been promoted in Japan, Kota believes that it is an opportunity to build his career with global perspectives.
Kota sympathized with the vision of cross culture that combines different cultures and values, and he began working at doq® in April 2018 as Account Planner.

Originally from Yamaguchi, Japan, Akiko holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Chuo University’s Department of Business Administration. In 1998, she joined Nissin Food Products Co., Ltd, the company famous for inventing the instant cup noodle. At Nissin, Akiko managed sales promotions and events for the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan and Korea, among many other new product launches, product concept development, consumer research, package design, advertising campaign implementation and distribution management. Akiko is proud to have work and life experiences across Australia, U.S.A and Japan as well as her additional job titles which include ‘mother of two children’ and ‘cafe barista’. In 2013 she joined doq^®, implementing BtoB and BtoC events for clients such as Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau, Japan External Trade Organization and Hakkoda (Aomori Prefecture). Akiko is now back in her home country, at doq Japan k.k., where she is passionate about delivering superior marketing and event management support to the team.

Originally from a small mining town on the Gove Peninsula, Ellie spent much of her life growing up in South East Queensland, Australia. Ellie holds a Bachelor of Mass Communication, majoring in Advertising and Television at QUT.She also studied Japanese cross-institutionally at the University of Queensland and was awarded a scholarship to study a semester abroad at Kansai Gaidai University in 2011. Upon returning to Australia, Ellie decided to start her Marketing career in Sydney and has gained a wealth of experience working with agencies and some of Australia’s most successful B2C and B2B startups. Ellie loves Japanese culture and has travelled Japan extensively. She joined doq® to build on her cross-cultural marketing skills and to continue her passion for driving brand awareness with creative and impactful strategies.

Originally from Tokyo, Japan, Daisuke holds a Bachelor Degree from Waseda University’s Department of Commerce. In 2011, he joined Asatsu-DK inc where he worked with toy, video game clients. He was also involved in the formation of a broadcasting time zone called “late night animation” in collaboration with TV stations, contributing to the development of the Japanese animation culture. He is interested in delivering Japanese cultures to domestic but also all over the world. He began working at d.doq® in October 2017.

Growing up in both Georgia, USA and Toyama, Japan, Megumi holds a bachelor degree in Economics from Nagoya University, Japan. After graduating, she joined a global BtoB firm and mainly handled business planning with her statistic skills in Tokyo and Shanghai, China. She also experienced product management and CSR promotion in Toyama, Japan and Marketing in Guangzhou, China. Having lived in 5 countries and traveling over 30 countries, Megumi has always been inspired by new discoveries through cross cultural interaction and seeing Japan through different perspectives. As many countries expand their business in tourism, she joined doq® in 2018 to connect Asian and Western countries using her skills and experience.

Born in Japan to Australian and Taiwanese parents, Victoria has spent most of her life in Tokyo. Upon completing compulsory education at an international school in Tokyo, she moved to Australia and graduated with a Bachelor of Communications from Bond University in Queensland. With an offer from the European Business Council in Japan already waiting for her in 2008, she spent the next 5 years in Tokyo to help bring Europe and Japan closer together through commercial and governmental initiatives, ultimately leading to the EU-Japan economic partnership agreement. Returning to Australia in 2013, Victoria helped an Australian startup from Melbourne enter the Japanese market. In 2019, she joined doq to utilise her cross-cultural experience, extensive knowledge on Japan and Australia, and a unique perspective to further develop the relationship between Japan and Australia.

Originally from Chiba, Japan, Satsuki completed a Bachelor of Arts-International Communication. Throughout his degree he has focused on cross-cultural communication and global diversity, analyzing how culture, society and media coverage can contribute to how globalization impacts us. Satsuki has experience in the fields of public relations and social campaigns, having worked with local clients to manage campaigns and provide effective solutions. Satsuki is passionate about building a bridge between different cultures and thereby discovering the resulting value that connects the world together.

Born and raised in Tokyo, Maaya decided to study abroad in America as a high school student to broaden her global perspective. At Waseda University she studied International Liberal Studies, with a minor in Gender Studies. In her second year, She did a second exchange in Canada. While studying, she worked as a translator at Iseshima G7 summit and did an internship at an inbound tour agency in Tokyo. She has travelled to 20 countries, and her experiences outside of Japan have inspired her to work and live in a multicultural environment where she can bridge Japan with the rest of the world. After working in sales at Procter and Gamble Japan for over a year, she came to doq® to fulfil her dream career while living in Sydney’s multicultural environment.

Born and raised in Sydney, Ayaka is a recent graduate of the University of Sydney where she completed a Bachelor of International and Global Studies. Throughout her studies, she has been enthusiastic in exploring Japan-Australia ties, interning with Mitsubishi Corporation in Japan, and in 2018, studying abroad at Keio University for a year. In 2019, Ayaka joined doq® and is excited to apply her combined passion for cross-cultural relations and love of both Japan and Sydney.

Born and raised in Adelaide, South Australia, Amelia has been living in both Japan and Australia since the age of 15. Following a one-year high school exchange in Tokyo, she studied a Bachelor of Linguistics and Intercultural Communications majoring in Japanese and Fine Arts. In her third year, she studied abroad at Kansai University of Foreign Studies. On return to Australia, she was hired as a cultural advisor and in-house translator for a South Australian Oil and Energy Company who was working with the Japanese government at the time. In 2015 she was granted a MEXT scholarship to study Sculpture at Kyoto Saga University of Fine Arts Japan from where she graduated in 2018 with a Master degree. After working in Kyoto in the hospitality and tourism industry, she joined doq hoping to use her communication, language and artistic skills in the international marketing world.

Originally from Tokyo, Japan, Mao previously worked for an IT company that took part in the development of systems used by trading companies. It was here that she acquired skills through the planning and implementation of web applications. Dreaming of a fresh start, Mao decided to work in the film industry that she had admired since childhood. She worked as a film distributor for a foreign-affiliated mobile advertising and media company where she gained experience in project management and direction. She then decided to challenge herself further by moving to Australia, so she could develop a more global perspective. In 2019, Mao joined d.doq® to contribute to cross-cultural marketing that combines different cultures and values, and to promote overseas expansion of Japanese films.