Yuichi Minami, Director of DX Strategy Promotion Office, Digital ICT Strategy Department, Kirin Holdings Company, Limited

Transform your company with "people-centered digital transformation"

Yuichi Minami, Director, DX Strategy Promotion Office, Digital ICT Strategy Department, Kirin Holdings Company, Limited
(*Interviewed in March 2025)

■ Profile
After working in sales and marketing at a food manufacturer, he realized the importance of digitalization and joined Kirin Holdings' Digital Marketing Department in 2017.
After working on social media and owned media management, he joined the founding team of the DX Strategy Promotion Office in the Corporate Planning Department in 2020. He has been in his current position since 2023.

Yuichi Minami has experience in sales and marketing, and is currently promoting digital transformation across Kirin Holdings. He says that digital transformation is not simply the introduction of digital technology, but a "transformation" that fundamentally rethinks the way business and organizations operate. We spoke to him about the digital transformation efforts underway at his company and his message to university students.

During my student days, I was passionate about soccer and worked hard at part-time jobs, and I was taking a teacher training course with the aim of becoming a teacher in the future. However, as I continued my job search, I felt attracted to the idea of ​​a job that would allow me to have contact with more people and society, so I chose to work for a company.
I first joined a food manufacturer, where I worked in sales for about 10 years, doing on-site work such as installing fixtures and providing store support. I visited stores and facilities and carefully implemented small improvements to make customers happy. Each task may seem mundane, but I took great pride in "creating with my own hands the space that customers see."
Looking back now, I realize that this experience has led to my current approach to promoting DX, which is to "look at the workplace" and "make changes from the workplace." At the time, I never imagined that I would one day be responsible for DX for the entire group, but I believe that every job has meaning, and that the accumulation of these experiences will shape your career.
I was then transferred to the Marketing Department, where I developed a series of digital initiatives using social media, giving me the opportunity to experience firsthand the potential of digital. I then moved to Kirin and joined the Digital Marketing Department as a mid-career hire. While responsible for designing and executing strategic promotions, I gradually became involved in the company's digital strategy, and moved to the newly established "DX Strategy Promotion Office." This department has now evolved into the "Digital ICT Strategy Department," where I oversee DX for the entire group as its head.
What I find interesting about working at Kirin is that we have a culture that welcomes the desire to change and take on new challenges. I also think that the atmosphere at Kirin is unique in that it allows members with diverse backgrounds to work together across organizational boundaries and sense the strength to create value.

■ Kirin's digital transformation initiatives

We are promoting digital transformation across all areas of Kirin. We are particularly focused on the hot topic of generative AI, and since November 2024, we have been rolling out "KIRIN BuddyAI for Marketing" to employees working in the marketing field. Approximately 15 prompt templates are available, categorized into three categories: "Execution Development," "Research & Analysis," and "General Tasks," specifically tailored to the Kirin Group's marketing operations. Marketing personnel can choose the template that best suits their needs, efficiently utilize generative AI, and achieve fast, high-quality output. Another major benefit is that the categorized templates make it easy to use, even for employees unfamiliar with generative AI. The introduction of "BuddyAI" will enable approximately 400 employees working in the Kirin Group's marketing operations in Japan to improve work efficiency and free up time for creative value creation. We believe generative AI will become an essential tool for strengthening corporate competitiveness.
We have also opened a "DX Dojo" with the aim of improving the DX literacy of all employees. This initiative is not just e-learning; it is a system of "learning and dialogue" that incorporates a rank system from white belt to master. A total of over 3500 people have already taken the course, with active participation from department heads and executives. Rather than viewing DX as something special, we aim to instill it as "a familiar skill that can be utilized in daily work." What we value is not simply the introduction of digital tools. We believe that the most important thing is for each employee to change their awareness and behavior to utilize DX to "work better."

■DX creates the “future of workstyle”

My ideal digital transformation goes beyond improving operational efficiency. My goal is to use the power of AI and digital technology to create an environment where employees can focus on work that creates value.
For example, general-purpose tasks such as automatically creating meeting minutes and translating documents will be handled by AI, freeing up time for people to exercise their creativity and judgment. By promoting this "optimization of the roles of people and AI," we believe that both the quality of work and its rewarding nature will increase.

■Message to university students

I think there are many university students who feel like they "don't know what they want to do" or "lack confidence." I used to feel the same way. Sales, digital marketing, digital transformation promotion—what has made me who I am today is the accumulation of experiences I've had.
I often hear people say, "I want to start once I gain confidence," but I believe, "Being started will give you confidence." Taking a step, even if it's small, will open up the next path and expand your possibilities.
There are no rehearsals in life. Everything is a performance. That is why I hope you will not be afraid of challenges and carve out your own future with your own hands.

Student Newspaper Online, June 25, 2025, Interview by Tsuda University 2rd year student, Karin Ishimatsu