18: Pierre Gaulis, CEO of CREAM

Pierre Gaulis, founder and CEO of CREAM, a digital agency, came
to Japan 13 years ago as a new graduate from Switzerland. Taking
intensive Japanese language classes and providing free-lance
consulting, he eventually started working as a project manager at
GPlusMedia, an online media company. He later became their
business development manager which allowed him to build the
foundation of an entrepreneur to start CREAM. CREAM
researches, designs and develops digital products, services and
experiences to help mid-large multinational companies achieve
their digital transformation. As a small, close-knit
company, CREAM works with agility, backed by digital native
employees, the majority in their late twenties. Shortly after a
year of founding the company, the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake hit
Japan and business stagnated. Despite many foreigners leaving the
country, Mr. Gaulis stayed to strengthen the company structure
including building prototypes, improving the website and
developing trusting relationships with his employees and
clients. 


 


CREAM is a multicultural organization with 80% non-Japanese
employees or those who have had international experiences. This
unique mix of Japanese and foreign culture allows the company to
have a deeper understanding of any communication issues between
Japanese and foreigners which helps when dealing with
multinational corporations. In leading this international team,
Mr. Gaulis tries to instil a sense of responsibility and
accountability within each individual. He insists that his team
stay engaged and genuinely care for the well-being of the
organization and “recognize that they are responsible for the
relationship first and foremost with the clients and with their
teammates.” In addition to engagement, Mr. Gaulis explains the
vitality of hiring the right candidates to stay creative and keep
growing as a company. To assess whether the candidate can work in
challenging environments with high creativity, they take a
personality test as part of the recruiting process. Mr. Gaulis’
leadership style is to be empathetic towards people and
understand their needs and aims to build trust. He also
encourages his team to provide feedback to each other and take
risks as he sees failure and mistakes as an investment for future
growth. For newcomers to Japan, Mr. Gaulis advises the importance
of staying committed, finding local partners who know the local
market and network, and hyper localizing to fit the Japanese
market needs.