I’ve spent 25 years in the recruitment trenches, and if there is one thing I know for sure, it’s that Japan loves a “stable” plan. But in a market this risk-averse, “stable” is often just another word for “stagnant.”
I recently sat down with Kennet Brysting, the President of Gilead Sciences Japan. Kennet has spent four years at the helm here, navigating the unique cultural nuances of the Japanese pharma landscape. Our conversation hit on something I think every leader in Tokyo—expat or local—needs to hear: The Status Quo Trap.
In Japan, failure isn’t just a line item on a P&L; it’s often seen as personally shameful. Because of that, many leaders play it safe. They follow the global playbook to the letter, even when they know it doesn’t fit the local market.
Kennet’s solution? Smart Risk.
The “Smart Risk” Protocol
Kennet defines Smart Risk as decisions where the downside is limited, the upside is meaningful, and learning is guaranteed. It’s about normalizing experimentation.
A perfect example is Gilead’s journey with HIV prevention (PrEP) in Japan. There was no clear path to reimbursement. Most would have looked at the “box” and said, “It’s impossible.” But Kennet’s team focused on the Patient North Star. They knew it was the right thing to do for the community. They stayed patient, worked with the MHLW, and three years later, they are seeing breakthroughs.
The Efficiency Paradox: Growing by 15% While Cutting Costs
We also talked about the “Efficiency Paradox.” In 2025, Gilead Japan grew its business by 15% while actually reducing operational spending by 6%.
How? By not waiting for “Global.”
Kennet hired an in-house data scientist and leaned hard into AI. They moved away from legacy playbooks and started using AI to train sales reps and identify Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) through data, not just tradition. While other affiliates were waiting for a global mandate, Japan was already executing.
3 Takeaways for the Japan GM
If you are leading a team in Japan, Kennet’s insights offer a clear roadmap:
- Don’t “Copy-Paste” Global Strategy: Just because a slide deck came from HQ doesn’t mean it works in Osaka. Critically assess if it fits the Japan environment.
- Creativity Within the Box: You don’t always have to break the rules to innovate. Understand the boundaries of the “box” (compliance, government regulations) and then use every single inch of that space to be creative.
- Build Psychological Safety: This is the big one. If your team doesn’t feel safe to speak up, you’ll never get the local insights you need to win. You have to be the role model for transparency.
As Kennet puts it: “A healthy person has many wishes; a sick person only has one.” When you keep that focus, the “status quo” suddenly feels like a very dangerous place to stay.
If you’d like to discuss how leadership, hiring, and market strategy come together to build high-performing teams in Japan, book a discovery session with me.
Feel free to reach out to the Morunda team or explore more insights on our blog.
