It's great to have the opportunity to be exposed to people from other parts of the world and our company provides excellent opportunities for personal and career growth. JT Group should be really proud of that, and if you are driven and open-minded, you can be lucky enough to be part of it.”

“Since joining JT International (hereafter JTI) in 2015, I have held multiple roles, from the Technical Print Department where I supported our packaging color standards, the Regional Services Team for Western Europe where I was in charge of numerous markets for collaboration with various business partners, to RRP* Packaging Project manager, and most recently, R&D Planning Manager in Geneva and continuing with that work now on assignment in Japan.”

I joined JTI in 2015 in the Technical Print Department, where I was responsible for supporting tasks such as the maintenance of color standards and color matching with our packaging, as well as communication with factories and printers.

In 2016 I transitioned to the Regional Services Team for Western Europe, in charge of numerous markets. My role focused on converting complex market requirements into concrete project measures by demonstrating feasible alternatives and tangible outcomes. As one of the main contacts coordinating the projects, I engaged in cross-functional collaboration and cooperation with various business partners.

In early 2020 I was promoted to the role of RRP* Packaging Project Manager, where I led projects from end-to-end, managed related costs and liaised with all stakeholders to ensure timely production and efficient collaboration.

In July 2020 I was given a project assignment as R&D Planning Manager in Geneva. My new responsibilities included reinforcing organizational capability, managing resources and supporting leadership communication - in other words, a number of areas of business planning.

In 2021 I moved to Tokyo on an assignment to continue my work with the R&D Planning Team. I have been further deepening my knowledge, taking on more responsibilities across the aforementioned areas, and working together closely with colleagues from Geneva, making us truly “One R&D.”

*Reduced-Risk Products: Products with the potential to reduce the health risks associated with smoking

“We function in an environment of constant change. To adapt to these changes, be ahead of the game and provide innovative products that exceed the expectations of our consumers, we must be flexible, agile and willing to challenge the status quo.”

The knowledge and experiences I gained while working in Technical Print and Regional Services teams have equipped me with the essential skills needed in a cross-functional work environment. I have learned that good communication and negotiation skills, proper time management and problem-solving are essential to managing projects and interactions with multiple stakeholders to assure timely delivery of projects.

No matter what department you are part of, the consumer is the most important thing. We are R&D to provide the best, most innovative products to our consumers, otherwise there is no reason to exist. It is our job to deliver the best products and “WOW” moments to our consumers. We function in an environment of constant change. To adapt to these changes, be ahead of the game and provide innovative products that exceed the expectations of our consumers, we must be flexible, agile and willing to challenge the status quo.

I have always tried to master everything that I do. Any time I joined a team, I did my best, improved my skills, and I was recognized for my work and potential to go further. Our organization is great at giving opportunities. If you work hard, you will be recognized and given more responsibilities.

It is a perfect place to work if you come with this mindset and you never stay still. Don’t work in silos, be flexible, bring something of yourself to the organization. Ours is not a company where you only have one role for the duration of your career. Never stop exploring, never stop giving your best. Working in an organization that consists of people from around the world requires open-mindedness and a willingness to try to understand one another. We need to work closely together as One R&D team, building on our differences, which in reality are our strengths because we have so many people around us from whom we can learn so much. Our company provides excellent opportunities for personal and career growth. JT Group should be really proud of that, and if you are driven and open-minded, you can be lucky enough to be part of it.

"I would like to continue to work closely with colleagues from Japan and around the world to keep learning about their different perspectives and ways of working and bringing everyone closer together by learning about their strengths and being a catalyst for communication.

In the future, I would like R&D to continue to move forward in having an innovative, open and collaborative culture where everyone feels good and proud to belong to such an organization.

I would like to continue to work closely with colleagues from Japan and around the world to keep learning about their different perspectives and ways of working and bringing everyone closer together by learning about their strengths and being a catalyst for communication.

Long term, I have had the opportunity to explore so many aspects of various businesses, but I am open to new challenges. I feel good and confident in project management roles with strict deadlines, but also the human side of the business where I can help people and improve their work. I will continue to learn and develop my skills, but I feel that I can fit in any field where I am placed, and the company keeps providing me with new challenges and opportunities.