Hakuhodo Thailand unveils new leadership to drive growth and transformation

Hakuhodo International Thailand has unveiled a new leadership structure to guide its next phase of growth and organisational transformation.

Koki Ito (pictured far left) has been appointed group CEO, with Jirapat Kanchanosot (pictured middle) joining as group co-CEO. Naoyuki Kawakita (pictured far right) will take on the role of head of ASEAN and country chairman of Hakuhodo Thailand, providing strategic guidance, strengthening regional collaboration, and supporting the long-term growth of the Thai and ASEAN operations.

The appointments reflect Hakuhodo Thailand’s strategic direction to strengthen its agency network and enhance organisational capabilities in a rapidly evolving marketing and communications landscape. Ito succeeds Teruhisa Ito, who has returned to Japan to take on a new role at Hakuhodo’s headquarters.

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The restructuring embodies Hakuhodo Thailand’s "One synergy Hakuhodo" concept, integrating expertise and resources across more than 10 affiliated companies and over 1,000 employees. The aim is to deliver more effective and comprehensive solutions while bolstering creative capabilities and accelerating digital and AI adoption to improve workflows, data insights, and brand experiences.

Ito brings extensive international experience, having overseen markets that consistently achieved strong performance. His leadership style emphasises dynamism, openness to new ideas, and a deep understanding of modern business environments.

Kanchanosot, previously chief operating officer, has been instrumental in marketing strategy, brand building, and successful local and international campaigns. She has also driven internal people development and cultivated a strong organisational culture, positioning Hakuhodo Thailand as an inspirational workplace within the industry.

The collaboration between Ito, Kanchanosot, and Kawakita combines global perspective, deep local insight, and regional oversight, positioning Hakuhodo Thailand to accelerate its transformation, strengthen competitiveness, and meet evolving client needs in the digital era.

By integrating specialised expertise, expanding digital and AI capabilities, and fostering agility, the group reinforces its position as one of Thailand’s most competitive and dynamic agency networks, delivering innovative solutions that create sustainable value for clients, partners, and society.

The move comes as Hakuhodo continues to expand its AI-driven offerings globally. Earlier this year, the company rolled out its 'Virtual Sei-katsu-sha' ('Virtual living person') platform. The platform combines proprietary sei-katsu-sha research, client data, and generative AI to create virtual consumer personas that reflect real needs, emotions, and behaviours across markets.

Now covering 20 countries and more than 30 languages, the platform allows brands to generate and interact with virtual personas aligned to different sei-katsu-sha types. Designed to overcome the limits of traditional interviews, it surfaces authentic opinions and emotional responses, supporting repeated exploration of perceptions around products, services, and brands.

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