On the latest episode of the FocusCore podcast host David Sweet talks with Jan Babatz, from Ziemann-Holvrieka, leading provider of tanks and process solutions for the beverage and liquid food industry. Jan has been in charge of establishing the Japanese entity “CLPT Japan KK”, and as a global business leader establishing a company in Japan, Jan has gained a lot of knowledge about being successful in Japan’s unique corporate culture. In the episode, Jan discusses some of this invaluable business knowledge as well as sharing his personal story of growing up in East Berlin before the Berlin Wall came down, and why he came to Japan.

In this episode you will hear:

• About how Jan ended up in Japan after growing up in East Berlin
• About CLPT Japan KK and what it’s been like establishing a new company in Japan
• The importance of speaking Japanese in Japan as a foreign business leader
• How Japan differs from other countries when it comes to work culture
• Jan’s advice to global business leaders in Japan
• About Jan’s love of music and his current passion for playing the ukulele

About Jan Babatz:

Jan Babatz was born & raised in former East-Berlin (GDR) until the age of 15. He worked in a sales position in a company in Berlin after graduation, then participated in a one-year exchange and homestay program at the age of 24 in Tokyo. Jan studied business engineering near Berlin, including a 6-month internship in Tokyo and moved to Japan after university graduation in 2004.

From 2005 to 2007 Jan was Sales Manager for Walter Tools as an expat in Toyokawa/Aichi. He switched to a German machine tool company in 2008 and got a 1 year and 10 month training in the headquarters in Germany. In October 2009 Jan moved back to Japan and worked as GM of the Japanese subsidiary. Jan switched to Guhring Tools in October 2017 into the position of president and CEO of Guhring Japan. In November 2023 Jan moved to Ziemann-Holvrieka Germany in November 2023 to establish the Japanese entity “CLPT Japan KK.”

Connect with Jan Babatz:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jan-babatz-27425395

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp

Facebook: :https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/

“Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co. Support independent musicians and artists.

On the latest episode of the podcast FocusCore Managing Director, Simon Jelfs, interviews FocusCore’s Singapore Director, David Chong. David has over 17 years talent acquisition experience across internal TA roles, RPO, and Recruitment Agency. He has lived and worked in Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, and China. In this discussion David Chong shares with us some of his vast knowledge of recruitment, both internally and externally, and explores the current recruitment landscape in Japan, and internationally.

In this episode you will hear:

• What made David Chong join the FocusCore team
• Why Japan's recruitment landscape can be a mystery to international recruiters
• Advice for hiring top talent in Japan and Singapore
• The importance of trust and communication when recruiting
• Common pitfalls for those pursuing a career in Talent Acquisition
• Keys to building a great team

About David Chong:

David started his recruitment career in Tokyo covering Accounting and Finance. By now he has over 17 years Talent Acquisition experience across agency, internal function, and RPO, gained from working in Tokyo, Shanghai, and Singapore. He has a proven track record to implement and improve Talent Acquisition function, lead delivery, and sourcing.

At Toll Group (a Japan Post company), David implemented a new RPO across APAC, EMEA & USA. Partnering with multiple stakeholders, he led process simplification and increased productivity across the team of 22 recruiters. To help build the Toll digital brand and talent communities, David optimized sourcing strategy via job boards and social media such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and WeChat.

At Pall Corporation (a Danaher company), David led the APAC Talent Acquisition RPO team in direct sourcing across China, India, Japan, Korea, Australia, and Southeast Asia. To align with Danaher practice, he helped rollout change management in Talent Acquisition Processes & Systems and promoted Diversity & Inclusion policies.

David is Singaporean and holds an MBA from University of Southern California and MIS degree from University of Washington. He was born in Malaysia, and has lived in Singapore, Tokyo, Shanghai, and USA. He speaks fluent English, Mandarin, Cantonese, and basic Japanese.

Connect with David Chong:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/davidchongy

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp

Facebook: :https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/

“Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co. Support independent musicians and artists.

This week on the podcast we talk sustainability in Japan with Heather Prosser from Morrow Sodali Japan. In the episode we discuss what sustainability is and how Japanese corporations can start to initiate sustainable change in their workplaces. If you are a business leader in Japan considering the benefits of making your company more sustainable, or if you are an employee wondering how you can influence your employer to make meaningful changes, this is the episode to listen to!

In this episode you will hear:

• How Japan compares to the rest of the world in terms of sustainability
• How business leaders can institute formal sustainable change within their companies
• What smaller sustainable actions employees can take in their workplace
• Where you can go to find out more about sustainability
• What Heather has learned about doing business in Japan

About Heather:

Heather has over 15 years of impactful experience in the Asia-Pacific financial services and sustainability sectors. Having worked in Tokyo and Hong Kong, she has a strong track record of significant contributions to business development, advisory, strategy, fundraising, and investor relations.

Heather joined Morrow Sodali Japan after playing a crucial role in launching and growing the Climate Change and Sustainability Services (CCaSS) team at EY Japan from 2015 onwards. She excels in navigating Japanese companies towards ESG risk mitigation, driving sustainable initiatives, and harmonizing environmental responsibility with corporate growth.

Originally from the United States, Heather embarked on her career in venture capital in Silicon Valley, before moving to Japan in 2001. As a committed community leader, her contributions include board member of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ), leading the ACCJ Sustainability Committee, and Executive Committee member of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan (BCCJ).

Her philanthropic efforts include board membership for Shine On! Kids, a charity supporting children with long-term illnesses in Japan. Heather's dynamic career spans the media industry, including as a regular guest presenter on NHK's 'Cool Japan' program since 2007.

Heather Prosser has earned the CFA Institute Certificate in ESG Investing.

Connect with Heather:

Morrow Sodali Japan: https://morrowsodali.com/

Shine On! Kids: https://sokids.org/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/heather-prosser-350bba1a

Corporate email address: h.prosser@morrowsodali.com

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp

Facebook: :https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/

“Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher...

In the latest episode of the FocusCore podcast we talk to the CEO of Scaling Your Company, Tyson Batino. Tyson advises small business owners and startups on how to scale their business in Japan from six figures to eight figures and also provides coaching to executives on running an organization. In this episode Tyson shares with us his invaluable insights into how businesses can improve their recruitment pipeline and processes. This is an episode that you'll want to listen to for APAC companies looking to open businesses in Japan, and small companies in Japan looking to scale and grow their organization.

In this episode you will hear:

• The importance of a positive interview experience for candidates
• How companies can use a well designed interview process to improve employer branding
• How a bigger applicant pipeline can help improve recruitment outcomes
• Tips for leaders on how they can help improve recruitment processes

Things mentioned in the episode:

FocusCore podcast episode on Topgrading

About Tyson Batino:

Tyson Batino is the CEO of Scaling Your Company. He advises small business owners and startups on how to scale their business in Japan from six figures to eight figures and also provides coaching to executives on running an organization. He was a co-founder and director at Japan Switch and One Coin English, Japan's 8th largest English school for adults, and a 2x resident mentor at 500 Global Japan, one of the top startup accelerators in the world. With expertise in scaling companies and a passion for mentoring business leaders and founders, Tyson brings invaluable insights into improving your recruitment pipeline and processes.

Connect with Tyson Batino:

Scaling Your Company: https://scalingyourcompany.com/

Personal Site: https://tysonbatino.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tysonbatino/

Twitter / X: https://twitter.com/Tysonbatino

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tysontbatino

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp

Facebook: :https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/

“Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co. Support independent musicians and artists.

On the latest episode of the podcast we are thrilled to be able to welcome back our very first guest, Hideo Goto. Hideo is the President of Schick Japan and has more than 20 years experience in the health and beauty industry, and a strong track record of driving results and being incredibly innovative in his approach. If you are an APAC business leader in Japan looking to innovate in a traditionally risk averse business culture, listen to this episode to learn how to encourage a fearlessly innovative culture in your company.

In this episode you will hear:

• Advice for APAC leaders working in Japan
• How to be innovative in a traditionally risk averse country
• Strategies Hideo employs to attract talent in a challenging market
• Some of the most important lessons Hideo has learned from his decades of successful and innovative business leadership

About Hideo Goto:

Hideo Goto has been the President and Representative Director of Schick Japan since August 2022. Hideo has more than 20 years of experience in the health and beauty industry, and a strong track record of driving results.

He started his career at Johnson & Johnson in 1996 in sales and marketing. In 2005, he joined L’Oreal and spent 11 years there, where he turned around several businesses and scaled the growth. He held various leadership positions throughout his tenure including GM of Active Cosmetics Division in Japan, GM of Consumer Product Division in Taiwan, and GM of Professional Product Division in Japan. Hideo Goto was promoted to Country General Manager of Henkel Beauty Care Japan and Korea in 2021 having joined Henkel Beauty Care in 2017 as GM of the Professional Division.

Hideo earned an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management in the U.S. in 2003 and a BBA from Meiji University in 1996

Connect with Hideo Goto:

Schick Japan website: https://schick.jp/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hideo-goto-8854b4ba/

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/

“Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co. Support independent musicians and artists.

This week on the podcast we switch things up and have guest host Simon Jelfs, Managing Director of FocusCore Japan, interviews Dr. David Sweet to find out what makes him tick, in business and in life. David is originally from Denver, Colorado with 25 years recruitment experience in Japan, all of it in leadership roles. He established FocusCore Japan in 2011. He's a father of two, a keen runner, a writer, and an ukulele player. Listen to the episode to learn more about how David manages to be so proactive and motivated in business and in life, and gain some invaluable insight into the Japanese labor market and recruitment landscape.

In this episode you will hear:

• About David’s love of running marathons and his plans to run the Barcelona marathon
• How David manages to stay so proactive and motivated in business and life in general
• How international business leaders view the Japanese market
• David’s advice to APAC leaders looking to improve recruitment performance in Japan
• About the ageless leadership skills that stand the test of time

About Simon Jelfs:

​Simon is from the UK and has over 20 years accounting and finance recruitment experience in Tokyo. He is the Managing Director of Focus Core which focuses on providing executive search in Japan.

About David Sweet:

David Sweet is the founder and CEO of FocusCore Group. For the past 25 years, he has helped companies hire the best executive talent in Tokyo. He is also a certified executive coach and author of Sweet Success, Sweet Sales, Recruit! Becoming the Top-Biller, as well as having been interviewed for the book, “Facebook & LinkedIn 対応履歴書いらずのソーシャルメディア転職術” for his expertise in using Social Networking for recruitment in Japan. He also is a published poet, including Gus (illustrated by Jennifer Shinkai), Split Infinity Forward, and Pop Rocks. He holds a Ph.D. in Leadership Development and a M.A. in Communications from Regis University in Denver, Colorado.

Connect with Simon Jelfs:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonjelfs

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp

Facebook: :https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/

“Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co. Support independent musicians and artists.

The automotive industry is currently experiencing a lot of change and innovation globally with, among other things, the increased development and adoption of electric cars and autonomous vehicles. Leaders in this industry are increasingly having to be agile and innovative as well. This week we talk to one such agile leader, Magnus Hansson, CEO/Representative Director of Jaguar Land Rover Japan. In the episode Magnus shares with us some of the innovations and challenges currently being experienced by the automotive industry in Japan, and globally. He also shares with us some insights gleaned from his decades of leadership experience.

In this episode you will hear:

• About the similarities and differences between Japanese and Swedish leadership styles
• About exciting innovations within the automotive industry
• Some of the big challenges facing automotive companies today
• About recruitment strategies being utilized by Jaguar Land Rover Japan
• How Jaguar Land Rover Japan is pursuing diversity as a company
• Magnus’ insights into being a business leader in Japan

About Magnus:

Magnus Hansson has been the CEO/Representative Director of Jaguar Land Rover Japan since 2013. Born in Sweden, Hansson began his career with Saab in 2000. Before arriving in Japan, he worked in Sweden, Canada and Hong Kong. Magnus is an Internationally schooled and experienced Automotive Executive with excellent strategic, analytical, organizational, and creative abilities. He has proven and leading skills in general management, planning, product, marketing, aftersales and sales operations at both global & national levels.

Connect with Magnus:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/magnus-hansson-aab5b71

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp

Facebook: :https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/

“Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co. Support independent musicians and artists.

This week on the podcast we delve into Web3 technology with Steve Pang. Steve is an innovative disruptor, entrepreneur, author, coach, speaker, and was my mentor when I started FocusCore, 13 years ago. Steve is also the co-founder of the social network disruptor, ZAG Network and NFT project, PSYOP ZOMBIES. If you have been hearing a lot about NFTs, AI and Web3 technologies and want to know how they might apply to your business, recruitment or professional online networking, this will be a valuable discussion to sit in on.

In this episode you will hear:

• How Steve went from working in the recruitment industry to the Web3 space
• About Steve’s social network disruptor ZAG Network and how it is disrupting the social media landscape
• What data sovereignty is and why it is important
• How ZAG Network empowers users to monetize their own data
• The different ways Web3 technologies are being utilized in recruitment

Things mentioned in the episode:

NFT project PSYOP ZOMBIES: www.psyopzombies.com

ZAG Network: www.zag.network

About Steve:

A Web3 native since 2017, Co-founder of the social network disruptor, ZAG NETWORK (www.zag.network) and a fun NFT project, PSYOP ZOMBIES (www.psyopzombies.com) linked to ZAG Network, a revolutionary SocialFi Network For Professionals. With a multifaceted background that spans leadership, career advising, coaching, vlogging, and authorship

Having spent over two decades as a seasoned business leader in executive search and recruitment across the dynamic Asia Pacific region. With 8 years of working experience and living in Australia, 5 years in Japan, and 15 plus years in Singapore, Steve's understanding of diverse markets and cultures across Asia Pacific makes him stand out from the pack

As a co-founder and advisor on Web3 ventures since 2017, Steve has been actively engaged in technology and non-tech projects. His passion for the transformative potential of Web3 technology and the decentralized movement is evident, making him a true "Web3 Degen" Just like a mullet haircut, Steve is business in the front, party in the back!

Beyond his entrepreneurial endeavors, Steve is a natural and direct communicator. As an author, Steve has penned two highly regarded books: "Everything You Wish To Ask A Headhunter" and "ZAG's Expert Guide to Personal Branding & Job Seeking." These literary accomplishments further showcase his dedication to empowering individuals to navigate their professional paths with confidence and success. Above all, Steve is fueled by a profound belief in the innate entrepreneurial spirit within every human. To him, entrepreneurship isn't merely about starting companies but rather the instinct to create, shape destinies, and take control of one's life.

ZAG Network launched 24 August 2023, the world eagerly awaits the impact of this Web3 SocialFi Network For Professionals. With a dynamic mix of high energy passion, innovation, and an unyielding commitment to personal and professional growth, Steve continues to shape the future while inspiring others to do the same.

Connect with Steve:

ZAG Network: www.zag.network

Sign up for an account on ZAG Network and we are instantly connected!

LinkedIn :