Description

I have 15+ years of experience in Japanese market entry and cross-border business development, working with clients across the UK, Germany, Canada, Finland, China, and Japan. My specialties include Japan market entry execution, IP licensing negotiation, and cross-border project launch. I have negotiated directly with Nintendo, New Japan Pro Wrestling, and Square Enix, and built Kalypso Media Japan from zero into a fully operational branch releasing 12+ titles. Business-level English, German, and French in addition to Japanese (TOEIC 915).

Languages

English
Native or bilingual
Japanese
Native or bilingual

Workplace preferences

Remote only

Primarily works remotely

OckhamGames Inc
CEO / Producer / Consultant
VIDEO GAMES AND ANIMATION
February 2025 - Today (1 year and 4 months)
Kobe, Japan
Running a Japan business development consultancy with active clients across the UK, China, Canada, Finland, and Japan. Key projects include directing Japan market entry for a UK publisher (publishing, promotion, localization), managing Japan community operations for a China publisher, supervising combat design for a Canadian developer, and acting as PM on a joint web app development project between a Japanese company and a Finnish developer (via Dentsu CVC). Also developing a proprietary web platform.
Japan Market Entry Business development
Kalypso Media Japan
Producer / Localization Manager
VIDEO GAMES AND ANIMATION
July 2021 - July 2024 (3 years)
Tokyo, Japan
Built Kalypso Media Japan from zero as the company's Asia-Pacific hub. Released 12+ titles on PC and console in Japan over 3 years, covering the full publishing pipeline: localization, QA, first-party relations (PlayStation, Nintendo), and domestic promotion. Also joined the founding team of a new European studio for a €4M project, handling contracts, schedules, and global promotion planning. Led IP repatriation negotiations with Square Enix, recovering licensed content rights.
IP Licensing Project Management Localization
Spike Chunsoft
Producer
VIDEO GAMES AND ANIMATION
January 2017 - March 2021 (4 years and 2 months)
Tokyo, Japan
Negotiated the Zelda IP license directly with Nintendo for Cadence of Hyrule — the first Nintendo IP licensed to an external Japanese developer. Brought New Japan Pro Wrestling on board for Fire Pro Wrestling World. Ran full production from pitch through post-launch DLC with a 4-person team. Handled Japan publishing for Cyberpunk 2077, The Witcher 3 (NSW), Divinity: Original Sin 2, and Terraria (NSW). Planned and ran a VTuber project as a promotional initiative for AI: The Somnium Files.
IP Licensing Project Management