Hakuhodo names new country head and MD for Malaysia

Hakuhodo has appointed Takeji Yamauchi (pictured) as its new managing director and country head for Malaysia. Yamauchi replaces Ryusuke Oda, who has moved on to become chief marketing officer of Himaraya, after seven years. 

With more than 25 years in the Hakuhodo network, Takeji Yamauchi has held leadership roles across Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, China, and now Malaysia. Delivering strategic growth for major clients in automotive, FMCG, electronics and fintech, his experience spans creative, media, and business leadership across diverse markets and categories.

Prior to joining Hakuhodo Malaysia, he was the regional director for Hakuhodo, based in Japan and China. Yamauchi was also previously the country head and managing director for Hakuhodo Indonesia for a year until 2023. Besides that, he was a business director at Delphys-Hakuhodo Thailand, and subsequently the MD for HYBRID:H, which is the third agency of Hakuhodo's network in Indonesia. 

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Following the appointment of Yamauchi as its new MD, Hakuhodo Malaysia said in a statement to A+M “Our plans for 2025 continue to be guided by Hakuhodo’s core belief in sei-katsu-sha, the philosophy that people are not just consumers, but complex individuals with real lives, dreams, and challenges."

The integrated marketing and innovation company added that it will focus on enhancing its capabilities in both technology and strategy, by building on its human-centric approach. "This allows us to uncover deeper consumer insights and address broader business challenges, not just marketing ones. There’s a lot we’re excited about, and we look forward to creating work that’s not only moves the needle for our clients, but truly resonates with the people it reaches," said Hakuhodo Malaysia. 

When reached out to by A+M, Yamauchi said that the Hakuhodo headquarters is accelerating its ambition to strengthen its capabilities in Malaysia. He also affirmed that the agency is eager to join more Malaysian projects and pitches in the future. 

Established in 1973, Hakuhodo Malaysia is Hakuhodo’s oldest overseas subsidiary. In 2022, It also acquired digital creative agency Kingdom Digital to accelerate the agency's expansion in Southeast Asia.

Recently, Hakuhodo Malaysia helmed Secret Recipe's Raya flash mob at Sunway Pyramid. It also worked on Ambank Group's Chinese New Year ad for 2025, and Toyota Malaysia's exhibition at the Kuala Lumpur International Mobility Show 2024. 

Earlier last week, Hakuhodo appointed Akihiko Imai as the new president and CEO of Hakuhodo International, effective immediately. Imai replaced Shuntaro Ito and reports to Kenji Nagura, representative director and president of Hakuhodo.

The appointment was preceded by a slew of new senior hires including Kenji Nagura being named representative director and president, Masayuki Mizushima transitioning to the role of chairman alongside his CEO remit and Hirotake Yajima as representative director and vice chairman of Hakuhodo DY Holdings.

In November 2024, Hakuhodo announced the closure of its Hong Kong office. MARKETING-INTERACTIVE found that all of its staff were to be terminated by the end of the year with a two-month notice period. Hakuhodo Hong Kong was established in 1988, and offered a full spectrum of services, including strategic planning and creative development. 

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