Let's enjoy questions with no right answers. Creating the "Operating System for Business Growth" with AI x Data Science — Yusaku Minami, Head of Marketing Consulting Department

At XICA, a data science firm that creates a "business growth spiral," the Marketing Consulting Department is leading the way in delivering that value.

The person we spoke to this time was Yusaku Minami, who, while managing as a department head, has also supported numerous clients as a consultant.

Many members have the first impression of Minami as being "gentle and smart," but she also has a friendly side; on her days off, she consciously stays away from her computer and runs around in the park with her children, enjoying the changing seasons.

In this interview, we spoke in detail about Minami's career to date, the thrill of being a consultant who significantly influences clients' decision-making, and the "uncharted territory" that XICA will be venturing into with AI and data science.

Consulting Headquarters Marketing Consulting Department 1 Manager
Yusaku Minami

At McCann Erickson, I worked in sales, supporting the strategy, planning, and execution of marketing communications activities for various clients. I joined XICA in September 2021. As a consultant/manager, I support the marketing activities of major domestic clients in sectors such as food service, FMCG, daily necessities, and infrastructure, with data science-based solutions covering everything from strategy formulation and tactical planning to the construction of evaluation platforms for marketing initiatives.

From architecture to advertising, and then to XICA: A career that continues to pursue "Why."

—Thank you for joining us today. First, could you tell us about your career, Ms. Minami? You've worked for a foreign-owned advertising agency for over 10 years since graduating from university, but I understand that you actually studied architecture in the Faculty of Engineering during your student days.

Minami: That's right. When I was a student, I was in the architecture department, and I studied design, including structural mechanics. However, while taking design classes, what I found most interesting wasn't "creating shapes" itself, but "developing the design concept."

I loved the thought process of shaping things around a central concept, such as "What kind of people will be involved in this space?" and "What is the purpose of this facility?" Through this process, I realized that the appeal of "creating a concept," though different in architecture and output, could be applied to communication design in advertising. From there, I became interested in creating ways for companies and consumers to communicate, and after studying this professionally at an American university, I entered the world of advertising agencies.

—I see. So, the appeal wasn't in the form of the output, but in confronting the fundamental questions of "why we create" and "for whom we create." What was the deciding factor in your decision to join XICA?

During my time at the agency, I often focused on refining the "how" of how to do things based on the briefs (requirements) provided by clients. However, as I gained more experience, I began to feel like I was hitting a major wall.

In the first placeIf the "Why" isn't properly understood, no matter how much you refine the "How," the client's brand and business itself won't move forward.That was the reality. In order to actually boost the business, we needed to go one step further upstream and get the "angle aligned." I felt a sense of mission to increase the resolution of the Why and What areas and solve them as a system, and that led to me joining XICA.

The dynamism that transforms hypotheses into convictions and drives businesses.

—It's been four and a half years since Ms. Minami joined XICA. During this time, the roles expected of XICA's consultants must have expanded considerably, wouldn't you say?

That's right. When I joined the company, ADVA was in the early stages of launching its advertising agency service, and I mainly focused on supporting the execution aspects (how), such as communication strategy, TV commercial production, and media buying.

However, as we addressed our clients' challenges, we began receiving various inquiries such as, "Is it possible to do this?" and gradually our support shifted to shaping the marketing strategy itself.We've been working together with our internal team, engaging in lively discussions and creative brainstorming, to figure out how data science can solve the challenges our clients are facing.As a result, both XICA's solutions and the roles expected of consultants expanded to support higher-level decision-making.

—A symbolic example of this is your project with Marugame Seimen.

Yes. It started with measuring the effectiveness of the promotion, but from there,Unraveling the driver factors that directly influence customer brand selection.OrVisualizing a structure in which increased employee well-being enhances customer experience value and generates sales.This has expanded to areas ranging from supporting marketing strategies to assisting with business strategies.

Through data analysisWe transform hypotheses into firm convictions and work together with clients to drive major decision-making.Being able to share those kinds of moments with people is very symbolic and incredibly rewarding as a consultant.

However, because the analysis results are presented digitally, if there isn't a deep understanding of the client's business or a proper fit to it, the results may not be convincing and may be meaningless (unsuitable for action). That's why "how to formulate a good hypothesis" before the analysis is such an important process.

Creating a never-before-seen "operating system for business growth" with AI and data science.

—As the value you provide to clients has expanded from "How" to "Why/What," could you tell us about the "next phase" that XICA is aiming for?

From now on, our value proposition will expand beyond simply supporting the creation of one-off strategies to include building systems that continuously improve and strengthen those strategies. At the core of this will be,Combining data science and AI.

In business management and marketing, there are an enormous number of variables to deal with, and the environment is constantly changing. Choosing the shortest route to business growth within that environment is extremely difficult. That's why,We will use data science to unravel the mechanisms and AI to improve the accuracy and speed of strategy, tactics, and execution..

Up until now, XICA's output has mainly been in the form of reports, but I think that will change as well. From now on, we will leverage the power of AI-powered data science, consulting, and engineering to support our clients' marketing and management activities.A system that functions as the "operating system for business growth"I have an image of outputting that.

We are in a phase of evolving into a more agile, integrated partner, where we discuss improvements together with our clients, sharing information and insights from a unified perspective. As consultants, we are also required to have the capability to support our clients from a longer-term and broader perspective, both in terms of time and scope.

—"An operating system for business growth," you say? That's a very exciting phrase.

I think the vision that XICA has been pursuing recently is quite advanced and full of exciting elements.

Up until now, AI has often been used to improve business efficiency,Using AI to increase top line revenue and create decisions that contribute to business growth is a path that no one has yet pioneered.That's right. Because XICA has data science as its core strength, it is able to push forward with this challenge now. The very way consulting support is being updated, and the feeling of being at the forefront of that change is a dynamism that can only be experienced at XICA.

Enjoying "questions with no right answers." A group of adult professionals.

—What kind of members make up the Marketing Consulting department, which continues to take on such innovative challenges?

Our team members come from diverse backgrounds, including advertising agencies, corporate marketers, and consulting firms. Most are in their 30s and 40s, making us a mature group.

Rather than the typical "passionate!" atmosphere of a startup, there's a calm and composed vibe. EveryoneThey share a common trait: a willingness to think logically and articulate their thoughts clearly, as well as a sincere approach to their clients.Even as the company evolves rapidly, we are a highly autonomous group of professionals who can think for themselves and act on what they should be doing at any given moment.

—What is the stance that you value most in management, Ms. Minami?

Rather than focusing on the minute details of how, we concentrate on aligning everyone's perspective on the "why" behind our policies and actions. We also value fostering a culture that celebrates trying new things and accepts failures, turning them into learning opportunities.

That's why we want to encourage those who will be joining our company in the future to understand this.A stance that allows one to enjoy confronting questions that have no right answer and no set formula.We are looking for someone who sees the challenges that clients leave unresolved as "treasures," and who is willing to go the extra mile to come up with new solutions that don't exist in the current marketing world. We want to work with someone who can be a driving force in creating a positive atmosphere for such projects. Conversely, this environment might be tough for someone who tends to wait for instructions.

The interview is a chance for both parties to confirm their "match." To our future colleagues.

—Ms. Minami, you also serve as an interviewer for consultant recruitment interviews. What points do you look for during interviews, and what do you keep in mind?

In addition to skills, we also carefully examine the mindset, cultural fit, and the direction the individual wants to take in the future, as I mentioned earlier, to see how well these align with the direction of XICA's business.

The interview is a place where we assess candidates,We want this to be a place where candidates can determine if XICA is the right fit for them.That's what I believe. Therefore, I make sure to dedicate a certain amount of time during the interview to questions from the candidate, and to clearly explain what kind of support XICA provides for what kinds of challenges, so that they can get a concrete image of it.

—Finally, do you have a message for those who will be applying to XICA in the future?

XICA is currently undergoing a major transformation. A new form of support that combines data science and AI is being rapidly developed right now.

This is an extremely significant transformative issue that could fundamentally change how companies conduct their marketing activities and redefine the very relationship between consulting firms and their client companies.

Let's create a new standard that no one has ever seen before. If you enjoy such challenging questions, please join us in solving them! I look forward to meeting you.

▼ XICA is looking for consultants

• Senior Consultant
• Consultant(Project Manager)