Start-ups and innovation focus: Shiseido unveils new China business office in Shanghai

Under the direction of the company’s global headquarters, the new office will be led by Carol Zhou and act as an operational hub.

Innovation for sustainability

According to the company, the China Business Innovation and Investment Representative Office was conceived in response to the growing number of start-ups.

“With its increasing number of start-ups and outstanding, entrepreneurial think-outside-the-box talents, China is expected to accelerate its continuous delivery of innovations and new business models,”​ said the company in a statement.

The statement added that as a business innovation Centre of Excellence (COE), the newly established office will support the reinforcement of its business foundation in China by creating new beauty business.

The company said this is in line with its VISION 2020 strategy to secure sustainable growth in markets around the world, including China, which is expanding dramatically said Shiseido.

Additionally, Shiseido believes this will help the company further evolve to “Be a Global Winner with Our Heritage”​.

Additional efforts in China

In the same vein, the company announced last November that it was reinforcing China Region Headquarters System as of January 1.

With the new system, the company planned to reinforce the brand business structure in China, as well as its supporting corporate functional structure.

In turn, Shiseido hopes it will help enhance brand appeal to Chinese consumers and strengthen its market execution.

The company added that its strategic alliance with emerging e-commerce platform companies in the region will be strengthened under direct control of the president and CEO of the China region, Kentaro Fujiwara.

“Shiseido will continue leading growth through the acquisition of greater competitiveness of the Chinese business and by reviewing the organisational structure to optimise functions for all areas and market characteristics around the world,” ​said the company.

S/PARK: Innovation hub

The new the China Business Innovation and Investment Representative Office follows the Shiseido’s new research centre, Shiseido Global Innovation Centre (GIC), or S/PARK, in Yokohama.

The innovation hub began operation mid-December 2019, but will only be operating at full-scale in April 2019.

Aside from being a research facility, the GIC will house four “communication areas”, including a café, sports facility, museum and a beauty bar, where consumers can create their own cosmetics.