22: Andreas Dannenberg, President and CEO of Adcomm Group

Andreas Dannenberg, President and CEO of Adcomm Group, has been
running his business marketing agency for over 30 years since
arriving in Japan from Germany. As a boy growing up in West
Berlin, Mr. Dannenberg dreamed of one day travelling Asia, which
he fulfilled as an adult, capturing photographs of places in
China that were unfamiliar to the rest of the world. The
photographs he captured there were published in globally renowned
magazines. This experience led him to land work in a film and
photography firm in Japan. Soon after, he founded his first
company, Ad-Media, a creative and strategic agency. Mr.
Dannenberg credits his bold move to start a business in a foreign
country to hard work and having a fundamental belief in oneself.
His experience sailing across the Pacific and surviving a storm
has also made him develop a strong mentality in facing
challenges.


With a firm belief that his company could provide valuable
strategic insight to clients that other agencies could not, Mr.
Dannenberg first hired freelancers and then full-time staff to
grow his business. As a leader, Mr. Dannenberg wants his staff to
show accountability and initiative in analyzing problems and
coming up with solutions. As a creative agency, he also points to
the importance of thinking creatively but with comprehensive
reasoning behind the thought process.


To maintain strong engagement with his staff, Mr. Dannenberg
tries to communicate a holistic view of the business, by talking
transparently in smaller groups or through one-on-one
conversations. The company also holds social events where people
can communicate in a more relaxed environment outside of work.
Mr. Dannenberg is open to feedback, as long as some solutions are
suggested. During the start of every project, when his staff are
giving out ideas, Mr. Dannenberg is mindful of choosing the best
idea, even if they overrule his. Additionally, he has had
experience standing up to clients with unreasonable expectations
to ensure proper working environment standards for his staff.


For newcomers in Japan, Mr. Dannenberg advises people to believe
in their common sense, learn the language and culture, and be
open to new information by being “an empty cup.” He explains:
“Don't come here with a cup already full, [thinking] I know how
businesses are run. Maybe you know that, but not necessarily how
they're run in Japan. So listen, keep it open.”