Subject: Executive Search Mandate // Japan
The Precision of Retained
The Precision of Retained
Search in Japan.
Advising global technology leadership on critical mandates, talent mapping, and cultural integration within the Japan market.
Context / Specialization
Tier-1 Enterprise Technology, Cloud Infrastructure, and Fintech.
Performance Index
100%
RETENTION
Country Manager Success Rate
Operational Hub
Tokyo / APAC HQ Hubs.
Execution Framework
Mandate
Total Market
Discreet
Conversion &
Search Methodology
A high-velocity, founding partner-led engagement model designed to secure Japan's most elusive 1% of leadership talent. We prioritize market narrative control and direct peer-to-peer conversion.
01
Mandate
Calibration
In-depth stakeholder immersion to align technical requirements with Japan-specific cultural DNA and organizational maturity goals.
Output
Ideal Profile Protocol
02
Total Market
Intelligence
Proprietary mapping of the competitive landscape, identifying every high-performing passive leader currently holding relevant market share.
Output
100% Market Map
03
Discreet
Activation
Founding-partner outreach. No gatekeepers. Direct, high-trust dialogue that positions your mission as the premier career move in Tokyo.
Output
Qualified Shortlist
04
Conversion &
Onboarding
Management of complex Japan resignation cycles and offer negotiations to ensure zero-friction entry and immediate operational impact.
Output
Strategic Appointment
Founding Partner
Murray Clarke
A recognized architect of Japan leadership teams, providing the strategic counsel required to navigate the complexities of Tokyo's executive ecosystem.
Operator Pedigree
Founder & Exit.
Established a premier Tokyo search boutique and led the firm through a strategic acquisition by a NYSE-listed global leader. Direct experience navigating the high-stakes journey from market inception to successful liquidity.
Market Relevance
VMware & Hyperscale Cloud.
GTM recruitment of critical 1–10 growth phases for VMware Japan, and subsequent leadership hiring for 1-10 phase Japan scale-up.
Network Authority
C-Suite Connectivity.
Unparalleled, direct access to Japan's most elusive leadership talent. Built on a foundation of multi-year trust and localized reputation.
Search Pedigree
Retained Expertise.
A specialized focus on Country Manager, Japan President, and GTM leadership mandates for global technology innovators.
Academic Foundation
University of Otago & University of Tokyo.
Bachelor of Arts & Commerce, University of Otago. Recipient of the Ministry of Education (MEXT) Scholarship at the University of Tokyo—a distinction reflecting deep linguistic and cultural immersion in the Japan market.
Case Ledger: Senior Engagements
Selected Track Record
A sustained history of placing market-defining leadership for Tier-1 technology organizations. Our mandates bridge the gap between founding market entry and hyper-scale transformation.
Enterprise AI
Glean
A builder-led search for a Country Manager to scale a next-generation AI platform for the Japan market.
Result
Country Manager Appointed
Client: Arvind Jain, Founder
Cybersecurity
Recorded Future
High-credibility Country Manager to maintain market momentum during a strategic acquisition phase.
Result
Country Manager Appointed
Client: DQ Li, Asia-Pacific VP
Data + AI
Databricks
Foundational scale-out of the Solution Architecture leadership to support exponential market demand.
Result
Sr. Manager, SA & Lead Architecture Team
Client: Masa Satoh, Senior Director, Field Engineering
Open Source
SUSE
Identify a next-generation Country Manager to transform GTM execution for business-critical enterprise infrastructure.
Result
Country Manager Appointed
Client: Josep Garcia, APAC President
Infrastructure
Nutanix
Primary recruiting partner for startup launch; subsequent scale-out of the Japan leadership team during hyper-growth.
Result
Leadership Team Secured*
Client: Matt Young, VP Asia Pacific
Cloud & Edge
Fastly
Secure a next generation enterprise leader to scale the Japan business.
Result
Japan VP appointment pending
Clients: Nicole Gerber, Asia-Pacific President
Enterprise AI
Celonis
Secure a Tier-1 President to move beyond foundation-building into high-velocity enterprise market capture.
Result
Japan President Appointed*
Client: Miguel Milano, Chief Revenue Officer
Infrastructure
Splunk
Identify a Country Manager with senior customer authority to drive a strategic, solution-led platform motion.
Result
Japan President Appointed*
Client: Boey Chern-Yue, APAC President
* Includes career highlights conducted by Founding Partner Murray Clarke under previous leadership and current engagements under TalentHub Partners.
Execution & Investment
How We Build Your Japan Leadership Team
Regardless of the engagement model, we conduct 100% market mapping to reach every qualified candidate in Japan. We then deploy a proprietary digital suite to sell your vision to the market.
Standard Activation
Engaged Search
A committed partnership for high-growth roles. Includes full market mapping and access to our digital execution suite.
- Market Mapping 100% Coverage
- Activation Fee One-time (Deductible)
- Execution Direct Founding Partner
- Security 6-Month Coverage
30%
Total Success Fee
Total Success Fee
Priority Mandate
Retained Search
Recommended for Country Managers and Board-level hires. Provides absolute resource priority and deep-dive executive profiling.
- Market Mapping 100% Coverage
- Engagement 3-Stage Retainer
- Execution Direct Founding Partner
- Security 12-Month Coverage
30%
Total Project Fee
Total Project Fee
The Execution Suite
Market Intelligence
Deep-dive research on Japan-specific competitors and cost-of-entry variables to inform your hiring strategy.
View Demo →
Digital Pitch Pages
The "Seller"
Custom landing environments for your role that use a professional narrative to convert passive, top-tier leaders.
View Demo →
Executive Briefs
Digital candidate dossiers that provide a 360-degree view of suitability, cultural fit, and performance history.
View Demo →
Trusted By Leadership
Proven in the Field
Direct feedback from the APAC Presidents and GTM leaders who have partnered with us to secure their most critical Japan hires.
“
One of the top recruiters VMware has worked with, not only in Japan, but across the whole of Asia Pacific. He is exceptional.
Kate BerkeleyVMware
“
Impressive research and a job well done! Thanks for the great work. Happy to be a reference.
Josep GarciaSUSE / Rancher
“
Murray's business sense and creativity helped fill a high-level executive position in a short period of time.
Matt ThatcherDoubleTake
“
One of the top recruiters VMware has worked with, not only in Japan, but across the whole of Asia Pacific. He is exceptional.
Kate BerkeleyVMware
“
Impressive research and a job well done! Thanks for the great work. Happy to be a reference.
Josep GarciaSUSE / Rancher
“
Murray's business sense and creativity helped fill a high-level executive position in a short period of time.
Matt ThatcherDoubleTake