FleishmanHillard has named Ryo Kanayama President of FleishmanHillard’s Japan Group of companies, including FleishmanHillard Japan and VOX Global Japan, effective 1^st April 2024. This marks Ryo's return to the firm after serving as a Partner of the Clients & Industries and Brand Marketing groups at Deloitte Japan (also known as Deloitte Tohmatsu Group). 

He originally joined FleishmanHillard in 1999 and played an integral role in conceptualising and advocating for a strategic communications model in Japan. In his initial eight-year tenure at the firm, Ryo also led its Corporate Reputation and Issues Management practice before moving in-house to lead corporate affairs at Walmart Japan and Seiyu.

The firm's Managing Directors, Atsuko Kamegaya and Ryoji Tanabe, will report into Ryo. Together, they will form the operations’ core leadership team. Shin Tanaka, Founding President of FleishmanHillard Japan, will act as a senior advisor. 

"We’re thrilled to have Ryo return to FleishmanHillard in this role and help grow the agencies," said Joanne Wong, FleishmanHillard APAC President. “Ryo has extensive experience driving transformation and societal change working with businesses, non-profits, governmental entities and local communities." 

“I look forward to collaborating with our team to take the business to its next stage of growth,” said Ryo. “Japan continues to play a critical role on the world’s stage and the evolving business and market environments require both local insights and connectivity to global offerings. FleishmanHillard and VOX Japan are well-positioned to respond to growing outbound and inbound client needs in corporate reputation, public affairs, financial communications and special situations.”