A coffee chat with Richard Brown: Leading global comms across cultural divides
“Some ideas don’t travel well across borders; you can’t just bring them in a suitcase.”
Resilience Unfiltered Coffee Chat Series
My guest in this edition of Resilience Unfiltered is Richard Brown. Based in Japan, Richard has been Global Head of Communications at Hitachi Astemo for almost six years, leading all aspects of the company’s global communications – from external and internal comms to brand management, media and government affairs, stakeholder engagement and crisis management. Since joining Hitachi Astemo, he has built an international team of 30 professionals and helped steer the company through a 2020 mega-merger that tripled its size and brought Honda on board as a 40% shareholder. Richard’s earlier career spans MUFG Bank Canada, Manulife Japan and Ashton Consulting. He holds an MBA from York University’s Schulich School of Business and also studied at Keio University in Japan.
Full disclosure: Richard is a long-time friend. Over the years, we’ve had many conversations about the cultural nuances of communication, drawing on his experience leading teams around the globe and my own work across cultures. This chat was recorded during one of our travels together, in a traditional Japanese house in the beautiful town of Jōhana (城端) in Toyama Prefecture.
In today’s hyperconnected, volatile world, communicators face growing complexity as stakeholder sentiments and reputational risks shift dramatically across regions. Over tea, Richard and I explored what it takes to lead global teams, navigate crises and balance competing expectations across different markets.
Natalia
I’m so glad we are having this conversation here in Japan. Every time I travel, I am reminded how much social norms and expectations can vary from one country to another. You are leading global communications for a Japanese company, spanning multiple regions, cultures and time zones. I imagine the differences between Asia and North America, in particular, can feel worlds apart. What are some of the unique challenges you face managing communications across borders?
Richard
Surprisingly, we don’t face as many challenges as you might expect. Our approach to communication is fairly straightforward. Having said that, most of my career has been in corporate communications. If it were in B2C or marketing, there’d be more differences by region. At Astemo, we stick to a clear framework based on the scope of our business, focusing on our technologies and products. Beyond that, our communications simply align with our mission, vision and values (MVV). That’s pretty much it.
That’s not to say we don’t face tricky situations. Of course we do. Our “secret sauce” is to circle back to the fundamentals – our core business, and our MVV.
Natalia
Even with a clear global framework, realities on the ground often call for some flexibility, especially when it comes to complex social issues. For example, coming from a Canadian corporate culture, I find that neutrality doesn’t always feel like a real option when vocal employees or stakeholders are pushing for a stronger stance. How far a company should go in speaking out can be icky in a polarized environment. How do you navigate those expectations across regions, particularly between the West and the East?
Richard
I wonder if this question would have even come up 20 years ago. In places like Western Europe and North America, employees do seem to expect their companies to take a stronger stance on social issues. But it’s not global, and it’s even the polar opposite in some regions.
Consider this: At around the turn of the century, four or five Japanese foreign aid workers were taken hostage in Iraq. These are aid workers risking their lives for humanitarian causes. Nonetheless, on a social level, the response back in Japan was harsh, and the aid workers were seen as having recklessly embarrassed Japan. The government, meanwhile, tried to bill their families for the expenses they incurred for negotiating their release. That was 20 or 25 years ago, and the difference in the response stems from a difference in values. Japanese value staying out of things that are not your business. It’s called Jiko Sekinin.
How much of that still remains today? I’m not sure, but the point is that to you, an overseas aid worker can be seen as a force for good. Surprisingly, in different cultures there can be a completely different reaction. So yes. Expectations across regions can differ in surprising ways.
I’m in a B2B space, and I generally don’t face the pressure that a global B2C brand might face. But, for me, communications that stick to the core business products and services and the MVV should be enough to give your company the guidance it needs to address any social or political issue, while avoiding the slippery slope that tying your brand or corporate culture to any issue can lead to.
Natalia
Do you have any global guardrails for how far local teams can go in adapting to regional sentiments?
Richard
Sure. For divisive issues, local teams should never take a one-sided stance in the company name, nor should they lend the brand to support groups or initiatives that may engage in things that conflict with the company’s stated policy or direction on the issue.
Even with less divisive topics, you still need to be thoughtful about regional application. Take DEI as an example. DEI and its philosophy are a product of America’s racial history, and its multicultural society. And although most global companies have adopted DEI, they don’t have America’s racial history and social issues. So, some adaptation is required to make it work.
The populations of Japan and Korea are extremely homogeneous, respectively about 98% and 96%. At the other end of the spectrum is India where, for every hour you travel from Delhi, in any direction, the religion, clothing, language and culture all differ. In Canada, as you know, you are experiencing record levels of immigration.
So, you can’t simply unpackage and roll out an American made DEI program. You should expect and support the regional offices to adjust as appropriate without compromising the underlying philosophy. Such regional adjustment has never really been a problem.
Natalia
You’ve mentioned “values” a few times. Japan is known for its long-term thinking and focus on community well-being. I’ve facilitated strategic planning discussions where we looked at different time horizons. In Canada, it could be three to five years. In Japan, we’ve seen companies planning decades, if not centuries, into the future. Are there cultural values unique to Japan that shape how you approach cross-cultural communication?
Richard
If you search “list of oldest companies” on Wikipedia, you’ll see businesses founded in each century – the 1900s, 1800s, 1700s. Then there’s a “before 1300” category with 67 companies. 35 per cent are Japanese. Mostly small bed-and-breakfasts, construction firms, confectioners making mochi rice cakes and senbei. They have survived for centuries, thinking long term. They are still around.
Natalia
Such a contrast to Canada’s oldest company, Hudson Bay, sadly, going out of business.
Richard
Exactly. That long-term mindset also shapes how Japanese companies approach communication.
I remember a phrase from my time at Manulife: “Some ideas just don’t travel well.” A product might work brilliantly in Canada, but you can’t pack it into a suitcase, bring it to a different market and expect it to do equally as well.
In Japan, investor relations is going through a lot of change, but there is still perhaps less focus on the short-term.
Investors and company owners tend to take a longer-term view: is the core business stable? Is the workforce steady? Is there enough cash to weather the storm?
This long-term focus can make Japanese companies targets for Western hedge fund activists. They see low returns and large cash reserves, buy in, criticize management, and push to unlock capital through reinvestment to boost stock prices or payouts to shareholders. That puts companies on riskier ground.
The employer-employee relationship is different, too. In North America, there is a much higher turnover rate and so internal communications responds to that. In Japan, lifetime employment is not a guarantee anymore, but it’s still very much alive and well. Many employees expect – and want – to stay with one company for much of their careers. That stability influences the internal communication.
The relationship with media is also different. When a company plans an announcement, they often issue a brief statement at 3 p.m. saying a formal announcement or press conference will follow at 5 p.m. That kind of short notice is common here. The announcement lands before or after markets close, giving journalists very little time to react. As you know, every second counts on the wires.
To a Western communications expert, this might seem like Japanese companies are dropping the ball on media relations. However, professional standards here have evolved in a different environment. Again, you can’t just pack your understanding of media relations in a suitcase and expect it to travel well.
In Japan, reporters can be much more aggressive than in the West. For example, a CEO was recently out for a morning walk when he was ambushed by reporters. Protecting information is seen as part of maintaining consistent, responsible communication. From a Western perspective, that can look like a lack of transparency. But in Japan, holding back information is often seen as protecting stability and minimizing unnecessary risk. A leak can easily escalate into a much bigger mess.
Natalia
Earlier, we talked about two excellent books – The Culture Map and Global Dexterity. Both explore how local norms shape the way we communicate and collaborate across borders. It’s probably fair to assume that how leaders perceive risk, build trust and show up for stakeholders also depends on regional values and context.
Even within a relatively homogeneous group, reputation dilemmas can be tricky. Take debates over transparency versus compliance. Executives may hold very different views, especially when they bring diverse functional backgrounds and lived experiences to the table. How do you weather a storm when members of your leadership team don’t see eye to eye?
Richard
It really depends on the nature of the crisis. The “storm” could be literal – like a natural disaster. As you have experienced firsthand, we have earthquakes in Japan. In those situations, everyone is on the same page. People want to help. That’s a pretty easy message to align on.
But take a different kind of crisis – say, a quality issue. Reputation management decisions aren’t always black-and-white, especially when there are cascading consequences for customers and partners.
Here’s a hypothetical scenario. Imagine you are a B2B air-conditioning manufacturer with long-term contracts servicing restaurants and hotels. During an internal audit, you discover that your employees have been cutting corners on required checks of air filters and you find evidence of contaminants — even hair, possibly from mice.
Now, you are in the boardroom discussing what to do.
One executive says: “We need to be transparent. Let’s tell our customers and make a public confession about what we found, demonstrate our commitment to rooting out and fixing the problem. Yes, we’ll take a hit, but we’ll stay credible.”
Others nod: “That’s the right long-term move. We’ll retain employee trust. Customers and media will respect the honesty. Worst-case, we take a reputational hit – nothing more than we deserve.”
Then someone raises their hand: “Wait a minute. You can expect that on the next day, media headlines will focus only on the possibility of mice in the air conditioners of our largest restaurant and hotel customers! We’ll lose contracts. They’ll sue us. We haven’t even confirmed if there is any mice!”
The mood shifts. Executives still want transparency, but recognize broader consequences beyond the company itself.
Natalia
What’s the best course of action, in your opinion?
Richard
My hypothesis is that it really depends on where you are. Social expectations and business norms vary across countries. In the U.S., for example, you have more vocal activists. Employees expect a higher degree of public advocacy from their CEOs. Stakeholders tend to be more litigious. Customers are more likely to sue. In Europe – take Spain, for instance – unions can be a dominant force.
We always work closely with our regional teams to map out the landscape before making a move. Who are the key stakeholders? How might they react? What’s driving them? What’s critical to the local community?
You can’t simply make a decision at head office and push it out globally. You need the regional teams at the table – HR, sales, operations. I’d ask practical questions: What will the unions say? How will the media react? What will the government’s position be?
Natalia
What would you do in Japan?
Richard
It would be an executive team-based decision, but I’d recommend taking the temperature of your key stakeholders. That would require that you speak openly with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and with your customers. Each stakeholder might see things differently, but if you take a path of transparency and a commitment to your accountability and countermeasures, it makes the process much smoother.
In a sense, you are triangulating between your key stakeholders. Make sure everyone understands the constraints, and then return to the boardroom with a full picture of the risks and sensitivities involved.
Of course, depending on the personalities in the room, even within the same region the opinions can vary. What’s critical is recognizing all the risks and variables at play. You want to get the board, management and communications team to a shared understanding: We may not all agree on every detail, but once a decision is made about the direction the ship is going, everyone needs to get on board. You give it 100 per cent.
Natalia
The conventional wisdom, at least in the Western PR world, is “tell it all and tell it fast.” In Canada, we often point to Maple Leaf Foods’ response to the 2008 listeriosis outbreak as a gold standard in crisis management. CEO Michael McCain famously said: “Going through the crisis there are two advisers I’ve paid no attention to. The first are the lawyers, and the second are the accountants.” He went all in on transparency, issuing a public apology on television and on YouTube the same week the outbreak was confirmed.
My takeaway from what you said is that while those case studies are valuable, it’s equally important to apply a regional lens – starting with a robust stakeholder and risk analysis to guide the response. What works in one part of the world might not be right in another.
Richard
Absolutely. In some countries – the U.S., for example – legal risks can escalate quickly. Activist groups may seize on the story, and stakeholders would expect the company to take full public responsibility. In other regions, where trust is built differently or where government oversight plays a more direct role, a more consultative approach with authorities may be more effective and culturally in tune.
Natalia
Of course, not all crises stem from operational failures, and sometimes, external events trigger industry-wide reputational fires. Suddenly, you are in the spotlight — even if you’ve done nothing wrong. In those situations, it can be tempting for a company to see itself as the victim. One example that caught my attention here in Japan is the “sushi terrorism” incidents, where kids were spitting on conveyor-belt sushi and uploading the video to social media. I’m curious how restaurants responded.
Richard
First, a bit of context on how conveyor-belt sushi works. Plates of sushi rotate continuously around the restaurant within arms reach of all customers. Some of the seating is in booths, which provide enough privacy for kids to do those things.
Once the videos emerged, the specific restaurant chains and the whole industry suffered major reputation risk. The businesses themselves had done nothing wrong, but trust was shaken.
The restaurants featured in the videos issued public apologies and ramped up staff training. But the industry’s response went beyond communications. To restore customer confidence, many restaurants made operational changes. Exposed plates are now rare. Most restaurants switched to include tablet ordering, with sushi delivered directly to the customer on those rotating belts. Many also added plastic domes that only unlock after you select it and it’s added to your bill. Otherwise, it stays sealed.
Natalia
“Never let a crisis go to waste.” The sushi industry turned a reputational blemish into an opportunity to rebuild customer trust and raise the bar for food safety.
Before we wrap up, I want to pause on another important dimension of crisis management: what happens after the headlines fade.
While traveling near the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, I received a beautiful gift from a friend who has lived through two major earthquakes in Japan. It’s a set of chopstick rests, or hashioki, made from shattered ceramics from the Noto Peninsula, which was struck by a magnitude 7.6 earthquake on January 1, 2024.
That gift is very special to me. It’s a symbol of resilience. Something broken transformed into something new and beautiful. It makes me wonder: how can we lead effectively in the aftermath of a crisis, when the immediate shock has passed but the recovery work is far from over?
Richard
As a business, you need to keep going. That’s the reality. But when you are managing the aftermath of a crisis from far away, it’s easy to lose sight of what’s actually happening on the ground. The emotional distance between head office and the frontline – on top of geographic and cultural divides – can quickly lead to a breakdown in understanding.
I was driving through the Noto Peninsula not long ago. Seeing the damage with my own eyes was nothing like seeing it on the news. Roads were reduced to one lane. Bridges washed out. Temporary crossings over deep gullies. Below you lies the collapsed bridge. Dangling across the gully remain the bridge’s guardrails or the streetlights strung out like Christmas lights on the wire that still hangs on across the valley.
Seeing this grounds you. You think: “Wow. This is real.” What’s been lost isn’t coming back anytime soon.
So yes, as a business, you have to move on, but try not to forget what the people on the ground are dealing with – weeks, months after the event.
Natalia
How should the response be managed differently in regions that are severely affected?
Richard
This is when the regional comms teams need to work closely with local leadership on how they can best support and align with what is happening, and with how people are feeling on the ground.
In the 2011 earthquake in Fukushima, 22,000 people died, devastating families and communities. You can be sure that even if your employees in the region were safe, within their close circle of family and friends they have been affected.
Even though HQ was only a few hours away in Tokyo, it might as well have been on the other side of the world. Guidance from the local leadership is critical to match the communication response to what is required on the ground.
I remember Rakuten getting some negative PR. They operate a site in Japan much like Amazon, and in the aftermath of the earthquake they made a change to their landing page. If you accessed their page from the area that was affected, the landing page would show emergency kits and blankets and things. If you accessed the same site from Tokyo, only a few hours away, the landing page would show the usual fashion and whatever other items. This was used by the media to show how quick the people of Tokyo were to forget the disaster in Fukushima and get back to their life of consumerism.
Natalia
As we wrap up, what advice would you give colleagues aspiring to lead a global function?
Richard
If you have the opportunity, consider taking on a regional communications role in a non–English-speaking country. Learn the language. Immerse yourself in the culture.
As a foreigner fluent in English — the global language of business — with some local language ability, you may find yourself building a relationship with the CEO and senior leaders much sooner than you would at your local head office. That can accelerate your growth and visibility.
Chances are, you’ll be pulled into cross-border projects, building both global and local competencies at the same time. You get a seat at the table and a much broader international perspective faster.
Of course, this path isn’t for everyone. For people with families or other commitments, relocating may not be practical. But for those early in their careers and open to different trajectories, it’s a route worth considering.
Natalia
Sounds like you need both technical skills and a lot of cultural empathy to grow as a leader in a global role.
Well, what a chat! Thank you, Richard. So much to chew on about global communication leadership, crisis response and navigating complexity across cultures. You make it sound so simple😊. I really appreciated your candor and insights.
Now, onwards to our next stop — and no doubt, more conversations about all things communication, crises and resilience.
The Resilience Unfiltered Series encourages open dialogue on tough issues to help executives and communication leaders build resilience in times of change. To learn more or get in touch, email nsmalyuk@nbau.ca.
Natalia Smalyuk is an award-winning advisor specializing in strategic communication, crisis resilience and stakeholder engagement. She leads NBAU, a Women Business Enterprise (WBE) certified communication consultancy. What is NBAU? Not Business as Usual. Why NBAU? Because there’s no such thing as business as usual for leaders who think ahead and see a landscape of opportunity — and risk — across the unchartered global space. NBAU supports organizations in building resilience before, during and after adverse events with a unique crisis planning and training model that broadens the understanding of crises and enables positive action in an uncertain world.
Earlier chats in the Resilience Unfiltered Series:
Dr. Matt Tidwell: crises, values and media readiness in a divided world
Anne Marie Aikins on proactive reputation management in ‘good and really bad times’
Coffee chat with Kim Clark: is there a way to get layoffs right?
A coffee break Q&A with Alexander Rau: “Cyber resilience is a marathon, not a sprint”
A coffee Q&A with Helio Fred Garcia: the agony of decisions and the power of patterns in a crisis
A coffee Q&A with Christal Austin: climate emergency & disaster preparedness