Hakuhodo appoints Naoyuki Kawakita as ASEAN COO + Yuta Sasaki as Vietnam Group President

Naoyuki Kawakita, Group President of Hakuhodo International Vietnam, will assume the role of ASEAN Regional COO, marking the next step of Hakuhodo International Vietnam’s regional growth strategy. Yuta Sasaki, currently CEO of Hakuhodo SAC, will succeed him as Group President of Hakuhodo International Vietnam.

Over the past several years, Hakuhodo International Vietnam has expanded its integrated capabilities across creative, digital, media, and consulting disciplines under Kawakita’s leadership.

Leading a team of approximately 800 professionals, Kawakita (pictured left) has driven cross-border collaboration and delivered award-winning campaigns, including the MMA Gold-winning “Tiger Platinum” campaign targeting Gen Z audiences. Under his leadership, the group has also achieved sustained revenue growth while expanding its client portfolio across key industries.

In his new role, Kawakita will focus on accelerating regional integration, enhancing data-driven marketing capabilities, and fostering deeper collaboration across ASEAN markets to support clients’ cross-border growth ambitions.

“ASEAN represents one of the most dynamic growth regions globally,” said Kawakita. “By strengthening integration across markets and capabilities, we aim to provide more seamless and borderless solutions for our clients across the region.”

Kawakita brings more than 20 years of leadership experience within the Hakuhodo International Vietnam Group, including Hakuhodo SAC, Hakuhodo Vietnam, Hakuhodo Digital, and Square Group. He holds a degree in International Business from Aoyama Gakuin University and an Executive MBA jointly offered by Kellogg School of Management and HKUST Business School.

Yuta Sasaki (pictured right) assumes leadership of Hakuhodo International Vietnam at a pivotal moment as the market continues to evolve rapidly across digital transformation and consumer engagement.

Since joining Hakuhodo in 2005, Sasaki has played a key role in strengthening the group’s digital and transformation capabilities across ASEAN. He previously served as CMO and Chief Digital Officer at Hakuhodo Bangkok, and later as Chief Digital Officer at H+ Thailand, where he advanced data-driven marketing and innovation initiatives.

As CEO of Hakuhodo SAC, Sasaki has led business strategy, branding, and digital transformation initiatives across industries including automotive, finance, and FMCG. Under his leadership, the agency has expanded its portfolio of leading local and multinational clients while delivering strong business performance.

“Vietnam remains a strategically important market within ASEAN,” said Sasaki. “We will continue to build integrated solutions that combine creativity, technology, and consulting to deliver measurable business impact.”

Both appointments are effective immediately.