PEOPLE

  • Akane Ochi

    Producer

    Akane is Japanese, born and raised in Ehime, Japan, with experience living in the US.

    From 2008 to 2016, she was sales manager at the English-language magazine, where she was responsible for over 3,700 advertising and promotional campaigns targeting international readers. Now, Akane brings to SEDO her expertise in content creation and marketing acquired during her work on a range of inbound-tourism projects for Japan's cabinet office, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, JETRO, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau, and other clients. Between September 2016 and August 2017, she served as a board member of FEW Japan, a network of English-speaking women who motivate, inspire, and connect with one another.

  • Samuel Thomas

    Creative Director

    Samuel is British and was raised in Europe before settling in Japan.

    He is a graduate of the University of Tokyo and is a highly talented writer with newspaper, magazine, and web-media experience at the Japan Times and other high-profile publications. He also has a background in video and television, including as editor-in-chief of the Tokyo office for Fashion One TV, which is broadcast in about 120 countries. He was appointed lead writer for the international blog of Nihombashi Mitsukoshi, Japan's oldest department store, and is a lecturer at Bunka Gakuen University.

  • Julio Kohji Shiiki

    Art Director

    Born in Montevideo, Uruguay

    Julio is an award-winning graphic designer, having received prestigious prizes from the SND (Society for News Design), an international design competition held in New York. He has been based in Japan since 1996, and his work has appeared in a variety of news media. From 2007 to 2016, he was the art director at Metropolis magazine. In addition, he has worked as a professional photographer and videographer in both directing and editing.

  • Yuko Murakami

    Project Manager

    Tokyo local, with experience living abroad in Canada and Australia

    Yuko majored in graphic design at art school. She then went on to study abroad in Canada before living in Australia. Prior to working at SEDO she has worked for a major advertising agency, an international conservation organization, and an inbound travel agency. As a project manager, she is responsible for scheduling and overseeing projects.