Interviewing Australian people
working in Australian enterprises

 

Interview: Kate Stahl Kate Stahl works in public relations for Shiseido Australia and lives in Turramurra on Sydney's leafy North Shore. She has a strong background in beauty PR, a passion for the cosmetics industry and thoroughly enjoys working for global giant Shiseido. In her free time, Kate enjoys yoga, travelling the world and spending time with family, friends and her special little nephew Lachlan. Kate loves playing outdoors with her labradoodle puppy "Coco", takes pleasure in cooking and hosting dinner parties for friends. She has a keen interest in holistic therapies such as aromatherapy and also enjoys reading about good health and nutrition.

Kate Stahl

Have you ever lived or stayed in Japan?
No. I've never been but would love to go one day. The only Japanese I know is "Konnichiwa" and "Arigato Gozaimasu".
Describe the work you do.
I am on the marketing team that promotes the Shiseido brand in Australia. The work includes meeting with journalists to reveal the launch of a product so they hopefully feature it in their magazines. Part of my job includes co-ordinating the advertising for Shiseido. As Shiseido is such an established brand it is so important to adhere to Shiseido's global advertising guidelines. This ensures the brand in Australia harmonises with Shiseido's global brand image, maintaining and enhancing Shiseido's position in the marketplace. I am constantly dealing with beauty editors and their requests from all of the major glossy magazines. The media really like Shiseido products for their superior quality, product packaging design and the latest fashionable colours and look creations of our make-up collections. I completed an Advanced Diploma of Marketing, Sports and Entertainment Management at APM Training Institute. I've had a considerable amount of on-the-job experience working for another prestige cosmetics brand and in a PR consultancy working with a range of beauty and charity clients.
Why have you chosen to work in the cosmetics industry?
To be honest, ever since I was young I have always had a passion for beauty. My mother owned a very successful hair salon and I spent most of my time as a young girl growing up in the salon, talking to clients and attending hair and fashion shows. Mum always taught me about the importance of skin care from a very young age.

Kate with Sigourne Gray, beauty director of New Woman Magazine

Working in the cosmetics industry sounds glamorous. Is it actually so?
There are some elements that are certainly glamorous about the work I do. In saying this, there are also times when you have to roll up your sleeves, unpack boxes and do some dirty work, like any job really.
Does your work require travel?
Yes. I do travel interstate to meet with local media across the country. Just because we are based in Sydney and so are the other major publishing houses doesn't mean we neglect media in other states.
What have you gained most from working for Shiseido?
I have learnt a lot about the Japanese culture. It's a really beautiful thing. Omotenashi, or "the spirit of hospitality", is part of Shiseido's corporate culture, from beauty consultants in stores selling the products to head office management. It is with this philosophy, a "once in a lifetime opportunity", that we approach our daily activities with the right manner (for example our behaviour, actions, words and eye contact are in accord with every situation or every person we interact with). This also relates to the way in which I interact with beauty editors and my colleagues.
What do you think is the major difference working for Shiseido and an Australian company?
Definitely the culture of the company is unique at Shiseido. It is the second-oldest cosmetic company in the world, founded in 1872 by Yushin Fukuhara. Shiseido is a prestigious cosmetics and skincare brand with subsidiaries in about 70 countries and is currently ranked as the sixth largest cosmetic house internationally. Shiseido's international operations and marketing policy is "high quality", "high image" and "high service".

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Interviewing Japanese people working in Australian enterprises
	Interview: Jun Sakaguchi Born in London, educated in Japan and living in Sydney, Jun Sakaguchi now has designs on the rest of the world - literally. An architect with Australian design firm PTW Architects, Jun has worked on projects in Australia, Japan, China, Vietnam and the Middle East with colleagues who hail from more than 20 countries on the globe. As PTW's Practice Director Japan, Jun holds the rare and perhaps unique distinction of being a registered architect in Australia and Japan. Completing his studies at Waseda University, Jun fostered his professional talent at the Tokyo-based Sakakura Associates, followed by a major Japanese construction company. Joining PTW fulfilled his personal dream of migrating to Australia. At home, Jun is the true family man living with his wife Megumi and one daughter Mai in the north Sydney suburb of Artarmon.
Jun with his beloved family

What brought you to Australia?
As I was born in London, I never got used to the lifestyle of dense and overpopulated Japan. My first trip to Australia was to visit my parents in Sydney who stayed there when I was studying at uni. I was shocked to see the immense environmental difference between here and Japan, and I solemnly swore that I would one day live here. In 1999, I had my wedding in Sydney, where I visited again with my wife for the 2000 Olympics. In 2001 my dream was finally realised when I migrated to Australia.
Describe your career path in Australia since your arrival.
The Japanese take pride in their delicate and scrupulous designs, and as a Japanese architect I'm no different. Working in Sydney I fully exploited that advantage, experiencing all the required procedures in a project from concept design to contract administration. My experience here and the six years I had in Japan helped a great deal in tapping new markets in Japan. As well as being environmentally conscious, I approached my designs with originality, which as a result won me some globally remarkable projects. All of this hard work paid off and led me to where I currently stand.
Are there advantages to being a Japanese architect?
Japanese culture and design are greatly renowned in the world. Australians have a tremendous respect for the Japanese style of architecture that is profound and diverse. Also, the capability and efficiency to accomplish things on time, and the general attitude and sense of responsibility towards work, could perhaps be considered as advantages.

Jun with his colleagues

What are you working on now?
I currently have eight ongoing projects all taking place in Japan. I'm the head of a team consisting of Australian, German, Argentinean, Thai, Chinese and Korean members. This cultural diversity helps the team to be flexible in absorbing various ideas, while realising and producing only the best.
Do you enjoy working in Australia?
There's a great contrast between the working environment in Japan and Australia. Working in Japan as an architect, it is quite common to work overtime until 10 or 11pm. It is not rare to find people working on weekends either. If you have kids, you get to see them only in the mornings. In the office, people only relate to each other as co-workers. Here on the other hand, no matter how busy a day it is, once the clock hits 6pm the office becomes quiet. I like the environment where there's a cappuccino machine in the office and people can have some cookies for a nibble whenever they like. Having drinks in the office on Fridays definitely works as a social lubricant for people to become more than just co-workers. Back at work, after spending a weekend with my family, I enjoy exchanging small talk with my colleagues about what we got up to. It's something that is seemingly commonplace, but I believe it is important. It would be a shame to forget to cherish those little things in life.
What is your dream?
Ideally, I would love to personally design a house by the ocean and live there with my family and two dogs. I would love to sit down and feel the wind, immersing myself in thoughts of designing things throughout the world. I'd also love to travel around the world at least every six months to view architecture and visit world heritage sites.