Marketing Business Developer Employee Interview | SEGA Careers Site

EMPLOYEE INTERVIEWS

Business Developer

A global marketer who connects fans to games that transcend borders

Joined in 2021

Business Developer S.I.

＼ Career Path ／

A dedicated soccer athlete from 3rd grade through his senior year. Studied abroad in the U.S. while in college.

Created Asian-language promo videos for Shin Megami Tensei V in his first year at SEGA.

Now based in Singapore, he handles marketing for 5 SE Asian countries.

01STEP 1

02STEP 2

03STEP 3

Q1
What I Studied

From 3rd grade through my senior year, I was big on soccer. The entire team had the same goal in mind, and we combined our efforts to get there. That experience was foundational for me. In college I studied abroad in the U.S., majoring in hospitality and tourism management. Being immersed in a different culture with different values made me realize that I wanted my future career to be internationally focused.

Q2
Why I Joined SEGA

SEGA came to a job fair while I was studying in the U.S. I'd been playing the Sakatsuku series since I was a kid, so I put in my application right away. At the time I'd bleached my hair blond and probably didn't look very professional, but the interviewer focused on my qualities as a person instead of how I looked. I remember it being more of a natural conversation than a formal interview. The main reason I took the job is because I wanted to work with people like that interviewer—who's now my boss.

Q3
My First Assignments at SEGA

In my first year, I helped out a senior employee and learned the basics of marketing. Most memorably, I made some Asian-language promo videos for Shin Megami Tensei V. At the time, the company was trying something new. Up to that point, most videos were in Japanese with subtitles. We tried showing the game screens in each language instead. It was an uphill battle because nobody really knew what to do, but each video slowly took shape thanks to help from my mentor and people from related departments. After we released the videos, many people said how happy they were to see everything in their own language. I got a real sense of accomplishment from that.

Q4
Biggest Surprise After Joining SEGA

I didn't come to the company with any big assumptions, so nothing surprised me too much. I did start during the COVID pandemic, though, and I still remember how quickly the company adapted their workstyle and office operations to that new reality. The company was far more flexible than I'd imagined, and everything was handled quickly. So I'd say what was most unexpected for me was that a company of SEGA's size is able to adapt so quickly.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties launch celebration event

Q5
Current Duties

I'm based in Singapore and work on marketing and promotions for SEGA and ATLUS IPs and games across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia. I mainly collaborate with local agencies and my team to plan and implement advertisements, events, promotions, things like that. Even though all the countries I cover are in Southeast Asia, they all have different languages, cultures, economic realities, and game preferences. We have a limited budget, so we have to be able to identify where to put our efforts to get the best results in each market. And since I'm based in Singapore, I also work to connect headquarters with our local office. I communicate the approach decided at headquarters to the team here, and I share local insights with headquarters.

Q6
Motivation and Successes

Something that immediately comes to mind is the first fan event we did in the Philippines for the Like a Dragon & Yakuza Series. Nothing like it had been held locally before, so we worked through every aspect step by step, from securing the venue and planning the content to coordinating with agencies. Not everything went exactly as planned, but there was a heavy fan turnout, and they had a lot of fun talking with developers and engaging with the content we'd planned. I'll never forget how the fans stayed behind at the venue, just chatting with each other. They came up and thanked me for holding the event, and said they hope we do more like it. At that moment, it really hit home that games made in Japan are beloved across borders and languages. The reactions from those fans remain a big source of motivation for me.

Q7
Future Goals

It's been three years since SEGA set up the Singapore office, and slowly but surely we're expanding our business here in Southeast Asia. Going forward, using the relationships and local knowledge that we've built up here, I want to continue growing the audience for SEGA and ATLUS IPs and games. Plus, as we continue to globalize the organization, I'd like to strengthen our cooperation with other offices outside Japan, and even try some cross-border promotions.

Q8
SEGA's Appeal

It’s the fact that, even at a young age, you can take initiative and be entrusted with meaningful responsibilities, and that you’re surrounded by co-workers you can respect. For me personally, that meant relocating to Singapore in just my third year with the company, and having all the opportunities that come with opening a new office. And since I have people backing me up that I can trust, I feel free to try new things without worrying about failure. So I think SEGA's appeal comes down to the people and the work environment.

Q9
Message to Applicants

I'm always happy to work with people who approach things with positivity, bring those around them together, and know how to make the most of their strengths. Nobody can do a big project all on their own. In a team, you can get help with your weaknesses and help others in areas you're good at. We need people with different strengths who can invigorate the company as they support one another.

Q10
A Recent Highlight

Recently I’ve been reading past winners of the Japan Booksellers' Award, and I came across a novel that left a strong impression on me. It's a story about different people carrying burdens nobody else sees, each striving to move forward with their life. The characters' emotions and relationships struck a chord, and the story lingered with me long after I finished reading it.