As a young graduate with a degree in civil law from Tokyo’s prestigious Gakushuin University, Shunichi Morinaga already had his sights set on a career which could take him around the world.

The idea of following his father into the insurance sector didn’t appeal, so Morinaga looked to the big brand names and trading houses before accepting an offer from Canon in 1984.

It was a logical choice, with around 70 per cent of the company’s turnover at that time coming from international markets. And, after starting as a door-to-door sales rep for the business machines division – a sometimes salutary experience – he was well on his way within a year, marked out for rapid advancement with a transfer to Hong Kong as an overseas trainee.

“The office was in a warehouse building in Tsuen Wan,” says Morinaga, who returned for a second stint in the territory in April last year, this time as president and CEO of Canon Hongkong. “I was handling camera and camcorder sales with a local partner and distributors in Taiwan and other Asian countries. I enjoyed it very much.”

Learning the ropes meant a recall to head office in Tokyo 12 months later to join the fast-growing video-marketing business group. But his talent and potential had clearly been spotted, and further international assignments soon followed, a development which tied in neatly with his long-held personal ambition.

“As a young boy, I was interested in the Beatles and American football rather than sumo wrestling,” Morinaga says. “My neighbour had music cassettes of American bands like the Ventures, and that influenced me. Also, because of my father’s occupation, we moved many times, mainly in the west of Japan. Leaving friends every two years was difficult, but there was no choice; I just had to deal with it and get used to the changes.”

As things turned out, such a background made it relatively easy to adapt to life in Toronto during a four-year stay handling the firm’s photography and video business. And the cumulative experience proved a similar boon when heading to the Netherlands for a European sales and marketing role in 1994.

“I wanted the moves, but found the company culture was very different in North America and Europe,” he says. “I just had to go there and learn. I needed time to adjust, but once you get to know the people, it’s not that difficult. In each place, I asked colleagues about the actions needed to achieve targets and goals, and we would then learn from each other.”

Besides wider management responsibilities, each stop also saw the launch of new products incorporating the very latest technologies. In particular, Morinaga is credited with playing a big part in the successful production planning and marketing of IXUS, the company’s first range of compact digital cameras.

Subsequent spells in London – for four years from 2009 – and then mainland China, to oversee the firm’s camera business for the whole of Asia, provided the chances and challenges that inevitably come with hi-tech advances, evolving consumer requirements, and selling new products and features.

“There is already a lot of technology in our business, and [the pace of change] is not slowing down,” he says. “For example, autofocus speed is getting faster and, as cameras include more video-movie functionality, this has to meet the requirement of following subjects in the frame without compromising on any other features.”

He explains that the Hong Kong office is essentially a sales and marketing function. While particular attention is currently focused on upgraded models like the EOS M5 and the EOS 5D Mark IV, whose digital features and compact size are aimed at high-end amateurs and professionals, the portfolio also includes printers, business machines and production printing.

With a local team of around 640, Morinaga has, not surprisingly, set out some clear priorities. These look to shape staff attitudes, explore ways to differentiate, and offer customers something extra.

“I’m urging the sales and service sections to work more closely, break the ‘silo’ thinking, and find more synergies in the team,” he says. “Once they are aware of it, they start to work that way and try to do more. I also talk to them about being a game-changer – not waiting to react, but trying to inspire the market and our partners.”

One instance of that is arranging seminars, training sessions and workshops led by top professionals. The aim is to inspire people to take better-quality pictures, to understand and master the true art of photography, and not just to take snaps and “selfies” with a smartphone.

“We call them ‘fast photos’, like fast food,” Morinaga says. “But I want people to really enjoy cameras and photography, learn how to use the technology in a course, and be more creative.”

To this end, the company also organises exhibitions and competitions for amateurs, in which 4,500 enrolled last year, and links up various NGOs to support special initiatives.

In terms of business development, overall sales may be quite stable at present, but the development of camera systems for security and enhanced marketing functions offers exciting possibilities. Cameras can also be put to work via video-analytic functions and to this end Canon is working on a system which can distinguish male from female, estimate ages and “remember” faces.

“In the retail business, [the system] can follow the eyelines of customers to see what displays they are looking at, which is a good basis for marketing,” Morinaga says. “We are new in this business, but hundreds of people from big companies are attending our seminars and events.”

MAKING IT HAPPEN

Shunichi Morinaga’s tips for career success

Think big  “When you’re young, be ambitious in setting goals for yourself and consider different paths and career options. It helps to read widely in order to learn and to understand what is going on in the world.”

Venture out  “Whatever sector you work in, take every opportunity to broaden your horizons. That means stepping out of your comfort zone and taking initiative.”

Stick with it  “When recruiting, we like people who are good communicators and can show a strong level of commitment, whether to their studies, a hobby or something else.”

Be open  “Remember that listening is a big part of learning. It pays to hear alternative views and not make premature judgements or show bias.”

Learn to adjust  “In a company like ours, you must be willing to accept change and ready to take on new challenges. Technology continues to evolve, so it is important to keep adapting and be open to new ideas.”

This article appeared in the Classified Post print edition as Sharpening the focus.