Arthur D. Little (ADL) today announced that Hitoshi Kaise has been appointed as a Partner in the company’s AMG (Automotive and Manufacturing) practice in Japan. Hitoshi has many years’ experience of enabling firms to develop their business models and achieve new capabilities. In particular, he has drawn on his background in engineering to help companies capitalize on advances in areas such as batteries, autonomous vehicles and data-driven technologies. He will be based out of ADL’s Tokyo office.

Prior to joining ADL, Hitoshi was a member of Roland Berger’s automotive practice from 2007, and a Partner from 2016. During his time there, he led nearly 150 projects in the mobility industry, and worked with nearly 50 clients. He has also previously held roles at Fuji Xerox and Dream Incubator, and started his career with Mitsubishi Motors as an engineer. 

Yusuke Harada, Managing Partner at ADL Tokyo, comments: “I’d like to extend a warm welcome to Hitoshi, as I’m sure he’s going to make a great addition to the AMG team. His involvement in a huge array of mobility projects is particularly impressive, as is his ability to apply knowledge of emerging technologies in a way that positively impacts companies’ business models. The automotive sector is going through a period of rapid change and needs forward-thinking individuals like Hitoshi to help shape its future.”

Hitoshi Kaise, Partner at ADL, adds: “I’m really excited to join ADL at this critical time for the automotive industry. As the company’s recent Global Automotive Mobility Study revealed, the market is currently in a state of flux. Many vehicle owners are weighing up the pros and cons of going electric, and if established brands don't provide an EV offering, customers are ready to migrate to other manufacturers. It is vital that brands get their business model right at this time, and that the supply chain is ready to pivot in a new direction as necessary.”

Hitoshi has a Masters degree in Automotive Engineering from the Yokohama National University, Japan.