Episode Details

"Anything that stretches you and makes you grow is never easy." "In general, to gain trust, the three things that work are humility, curiosity, and authenticity." "In Japan, you have to move from busy to productive, and from productive to impactful." "As a leader, you must trust others to be your voice, your interpreter, and your proofreader." "First and foremost, put your hand up—there's too much hesitation and self-censoring."

Dr. Laura Bonamici is the Global Head of Marketing at Fujitsu, based in Tokyo, Japan. Her career has spanned multiple industries and geographies, from consumer goods and luxury fashion to technology, each stage demanding adaptability and reinvention.

Previously she was a Communications Specialist, Embedded PR; Commodity Operations Program Manager, Goldman Sachs; Investment Banking Division, Goldman Sachs; Corporate Marketing Assistant, Drake International-Learning Technologies. She has a Ph.D. from Royal Holloway University of London; and B.A from Universita degli Studi di Firenze.

She has built her reputation on her ability to lead transformation across cultures, guiding teams through periods of uncertainty and change.

In Japan, she has been tasked directly by Fujitsu's CEO with spearheading marketing transformation, a mandate that challenges her to balance global speed with the local consensus-driven style of decision-making.

Fluent in several languages and deeply committed to cultural immersion, Laura has become known for blending precision with creativity, humility with authority, and long-term commitment with immediate impact. She champions diversity, particularly encouraging women to take leadership roles and pursue international assignments, believing that exposure to different cultures is essential for confidence and perspective.

Today, she continues to refine her leadership approach in Japan's uniquely complex business environment, guided by authenticity, curiosity, and respect for cultural nuance.

Leadership, for Dr. Laura Bonamici, is a process of constant growth, challenge, and adaptation. As Global Head of Marketing at Fujitsu, she has learned that leadership in Japan is unlike anywhere else in the world: demanding patience, cultural sensitivity, and an unwavering commitment to authenticity.

Upon her arrival in Tokyo, she was tasked by the CEO with driving transformation. Yet, she quickly discovered that while international markets often prize speed and disruption, Japan's consensus-driven decision-making process values nemawashi (informal groundwork), ringi-sho (formal approval circulation), and a deliberate pace.

Rather than imposing a foreign model, Laura chose to respect the cultural norms while still pushing for meaningful change. This balancing act has required resilience and an appreciation that transformation cannot be rushed.

Trust lies at the heart of her leadership. As a non-Japanese executive, she is acutely aware of perceptions that foreigners may not stay long. To counter this, she invests time in one-on-one interactions, symbolic gestures like delivering speeches in Japanese, and consistent demonstrations of long-term commitment. These actions, while small, become essential trust-building measures that gradually shift perceptions.

Laura's leadership style is built on humility, curiosity, and authenticity. She believes in asking questions, even in a culture where questioning may be uncomfortable, framing them in ways that show genuine interest rather than criticism. She uses tools such as workshops, Post-it brainstorming, and agile methodologies to encourage open participation and psychological safety.

For her, leadership is not about imposing a style but a