Strengthening the executive leadership structure to drive integrated organizational management, performance control, and operational infrastructure development
GESHER Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Yohei Harada; hereinafter “GESHER”) is pleased to announce that, effective March 1, 2026, Koji Arie, Head of the Corporate Marketing Division, has been appointed Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer (COO). Mr. Arie will continue to concurrently serve as Head of the Corporate Marketing Division following his appointment.
■ Background of the Appointment
GESHER provides comprehensive support for the internationalization of Japanese companies through collaboration and M&A support with overseas startups, as well as international marketing support. As the business has expanded rapidly, GESHER recognized the need for a stronger executive structure capable of integrally leading more advanced organizational management, numerical management of key indicators such as gross profit, utilization, and costs, company-wide operational infrastructure development and governance enhancement, as well as cross-functional project execution. In response, the company has decided on this executive appointment as part of its efforts to strengthen the management execution framework.
■ Profile of Koji Arie
After graduating from the University of Tokyo’s Faculty of Engineering, Mr. Arie worked as a program director at NHK (Japanese Broadcasting Corporation), leading content production and digital service initiatives. He then conducted research at MIT Media Lab in the US and built a social media marketing team at Amazon Prime Video. After overseeing domestic and global marketing at a SaaS startup, he joined GESHER in May 2025 as the Head of Corporate Marketing. He also lectures at Globis and serves as Vice President of the Japan International Youth Exchange Organization. He holds a Master’s in International Business Administration from the University of Tsukuba.
■ Major Initiatives and Achievements Since Joining the Company
Since joining GESHER, Mr. Arie has taken a hands-on role in driving the following areas and has dramatically strengthened the company’s organizational foundation.
- Rebuilding the Organizational Foundation (MVV): Led the formulation of the new MVV (Mission, Vision, Values). Integrated the values of a multinational organization and established an "Organizational OS" to serve as a guideline for recruitment and evaluation.
- Creation of Revenue Opportunities and Autonomy: Eliminated operational bottlenecks in the business divisions to prevent opportunity loss. Spearheaded the construction of lead generation engines, including advertising, PR, and "GESHER TIMES," establishing a sustainable growth foundation.
- In-housing of Recruitment and Cost Reduction: Executed the standardization (SOP) of the selection process. Successfully secured top-tier talent, including management-level personnel, while minimizing external costs.
■ Future Roles and Responsibilities as Executive Officer and COO
As Executive Officer and COO, Mr. Arie will be responsible for executing company strategy and delivering results, including accountability for key KPIs such as stock value and pre-tax profit. His primary focus areas will include the following:
- Organization and talent: Cross-cultural organizational management, leadership development, and productivity enhancement
- Performance management: Real-time monitoring and improvement support for gross profit, utilization, costs, and other key metrics
- Processes and systems: Implementation of DX tools, business process automation, and leadership of OKR/KPI operations
- Governance and PMO: Strengthening controls related to contracts, security, and other key governance areas, while ensuring the successful execution of company-wide cross-functional projects
■ Comment from Yohei Harada, President & CEO
“Mr. Arie has played a leading role on the ground in both delivering results and building systems, including through the MVV development project, significantly enhancing our organizational momentum and productivity. As COO, I expect him to further advance our organizational management, performance control, and governance in an integrated manner, accelerating both our corporate value creation and sustainable growth.”
■ Comment from Koji Arie, Executive Officer & COO
“I am honored to assume the role of Executive Officer and COO. I am committed to executing the company’s strategic direction with discipline and turning it into measurable results. By advancing organizational management, improving visibility into performance metrics, optimizing processes, and strengthening governance, I will work to further increase our growth speed and contribute to enhancing our corporate value.”
■ About GESHER Inc.
GESHER is a company that provides comprehensive support for the internationalization of Japanese businesses through collaboration and M&A support with overseas startups, as well as global marketing support. With strengths in startup collaboration in the innovation sector and advanced technology fields, GESHER has led more than 100 projects to date. The company’s employees represent more than 10 nationalities, and over 50% of its workforce consists of non-Japanese employees. Leveraging its strengths in cross-cultural understanding and multicultural management, GESHER supports companies in expanding their global presence.