"Anything that stretches you and makes you grow is never easy."
"In general, to gain trust, the three things that work are humility, curiosity, and authenticity."
"In Japan, you have to move from busy to productive, and from productive to impactful."
"As a leader, you must trust others to be your voice, your interpreter, and your proofreader."
"First and foremost, put your hand up—there's too much hesitation and self-censoring."
Dr. Laura Bonamici is the Global Head of Marketing at Fujitsu, based in Tokyo, Japan. Her career has spanned multiple industries and geographies, from consumer goods and luxury fashion to technology, each stage demanding adaptability and reinvention.
Previously she was a Communications Specialist, Embedded PR; Commodity Operations Program Manager, Goldman Sachs; Investment Banking Division, Goldman Sachs; Corporate Marketing Assistant, Drake International-Learning Technologies. She has a Ph.D. from Royal Holloway University of London; and B.A from Universita degli Studi di Firenze.
She has built her reputation on her ability to lead transformation across cultures, guiding teams through periods of uncertainty and change.
In Japan, she has been tasked directly by Fujitsu's CEO with spearheading marketing transformation, a mandate that challenges her to balance global speed with the local consensus-driven style of decision-making.
Fluent in several languages and deeply committed to cultural immersion, Laura has become known for blending precision with creativity, humility with authority, and long-term commitment with immediate impact. She champions diversity, particularly encouraging women to take leadership roles and pursue international assignments, believing that exposure to different cultures is essential for confidence and perspective.
Today, she continues to refine her leadership approach in Japan's uniquely complex business environment, guided by authenticity, curiosity, and respect for cultural nuance.
Leadership, for Dr. Laura Bonamici, is a process of constant growth, challenge, and adaptation. As Global Head of Marketing at Fujitsu, she has learned that leadership in Japan is unlike anywhere else in the world: demanding patience, cultural sensitivity, and an unwavering commitment to authenticity.
Upon her arrival in Tokyo, she was tasked by the CEO with driving transformation. Yet, she quickly discovered that while international markets often prize speed and disruption, Japan's consensus-driven decision-making process values nemawashi (informal groundwork), ringi-sho (formal approval circulation), and a deliberate pace.
Rather than imposing a foreign model, Laura chose to respect the cultural norms while still pushing for meaningful change. This balancing act has required resilience and an appreciation that transformation cannot be rushed.
Trust lies at the heart of her leadership. As a non-Japanese executive, she is acutely aware of perceptions that foreigners may not stay long. To counter this, she invests time in one-on-one interactions, symbolic gestures like delivering speeches in Japanese, and consistent demonstrations of long-term commitment. These actions, while small, become essential trust-building measures that gradually shift perceptions.
Laura's leadership style is built on humility, curiosity, and authenticity. She believes in asking questions, even in a culture where questioning may be uncomfortable, framing them in ways that show genuine interest rather than criticism. She uses tools such as workshops, Post-it brainstorming, and agile methodologies to encourage open participation and psychological safety.
For her, leadership is not about imposing a style but about weaving together the best aspects of Japanese precision, international innovation, and Fujitsu's own corporate culture.
She also emphasises the need to move from being "busy" to truly "impactful."
By deliberately carving out time in her calendar for reflection and creativity, she models the behaviours she wants her team to adopt. This philosophy resonates strongly in Japan, where overwork is common but does not always translate to high impact.
For women, she acknowledges both the barriers and the opportunities in Japan. She urges female leaders to "put their hand up" rather than self-censor, and advocates for international assignments to build resilience and global perspective. With Fujitsu's goal of 30% female leadership, she sees systemic change as gradual but achievable through consistent encouragement and role modelling.
Ultimately, Laura likens leadership to salt: essential when used wisely, overwhelming when misapplied. Her approach, grounded in authenticity and cultural respect, is a reminder that leadership is both an art and a discipline, particularly in the nuanced environment of Japan.
What makes leadership in Japan unique?
Leadership in Japan is shaped by consensus-driven decision-making and cultural expectations of humility and harmony. Unlike markets that prioritise speed, Japan values nemawashi and ringi-sho, where alignment is painstakingly built. For Laura, leadership here requires balancing international urgency with local patience.
Why do global executives struggle?
Executives often arrive expecting to implement rapid change, only to find progress feels slow. They underestimate the importance of trust and long-term commitment. As Laura highlights, without demonstrating persistence and cultural respect, leaders may be dismissed as transient.
Is Japan truly risk-averse?
Rather than being risk-averse, Laura believes Japan exhibits high uncertainty avoidance. Transformation is not rejected but must be managed through careful consensus-building. She frames this as a shift from rushing decisions to ensuring impact, which aligns with decision intelligence principles.
What leadership style actually works?
Authenticity, humility, and curiosity are key. Asking questions, even when uncomfortable, models openness and encourages dialogue. Laura avoids imposing a singular "foreign" leadership style, instead blending the strengths of Japanese precision, international innovation, and Fujitsu's own values.
How can technology help?
Laura leverages agile methodologies, workshops, and digital collaboration tools to break down silos and create psychological safety. She believes technology, such as digital twins and agile design frameworks, enables experimentation without fear, helping bridge the gap between speed and consensus.
Does language proficiency matter?
Yes, both symbolically and practically. Delivering speeches in Japanese signals respect and commitment. It also reduces the reliance on interpreters, though Laura emphasises trusting interpreters and proofreaders as extensions of leadership.
What's the ultimate leadership lesson?
Leadership, like salt, must be applied with balance. Too much control overwhelms; too little leaves teams directionless. Laura's ultimate lesson is that leadership is about fostering trust, modelling authenticity, and creating the conditions for impact rather than imposing authority.
[00:00] Dr. Laura Bonamici introduces her leadership philosophy, stressing that anything that stretches and challenges you is never easy. She frames leadership as a balance of authenticity and cultural adaptation.
[05:20] Discusses her arrival in Japan and mandate from Fujitsu's CEO to drive transformation. She quickly identifies the challenge of aligning international speed with Japan's consensus culture, rooted in nemawashi and ringi-sho.
[12:45] Highlights the importance of trust-building as a foreign leader. Shares strategies such as one-on-one meetings, learning Japanese, and consistent presence to counter perceptions of transience.
[18:30] Outlines her leadership pillars of humility, curiosity, and authenticity. Explains how asking questions, though culturally uncomfortable, demonstrates genuine interest and encourages dialogue.
[25:10] Describes practical tools like workshops, Post-it brainstorming, and agile practices to foster innovation and psychological safety within teams.
[32:00] Emphasises the shift from being busy to impactful. She blocks time for reflection and creativity, modelling productive behaviours in contrast to Japan's culture of overwork.
[39:15] Addresses the challenges and opportunities for women leaders in Japan. Urges women to put their hand up, avoid self-censoring, and take overseas assignments to build resilience.
[45:00] Concludes with her metaphor of leadership as salt — essential in balance, destructive in excess — encapsulating her philosophy of authenticity, cultural sensitivity, and patience.
Host Credentials
Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012).
As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).
In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.
