Managing Director of Konica Minolta Business Solutions Asia Pte. Limited Mr. Tadayuki Funakura is 53 but still young enough to mention. Having young mind and his way of thinking towards business development matters in Konica Milonta’s operation in Asia. He has the power of adjustment that calls leadership and this leadership enhances Konica Minoltas business growth as a whole. He was really young in age when he joined Konica Minolta - yes he was only 23 and a young commerce graduate started career as sales executive. He learnt from his Door to Door Marketing experiences then. The early days of his career experienced him enough to understand the consumer choice and their demand. Since then he has worked with Konica as the tradition of career in Japan like Mitsubishi. Being with the printing industry since a long he is the witnessed of the industry transformation of printing solutions from traditional to digital. Since 2015 Mr. Tadayuki Funakura is playing the role of Managing Director of Konica Minolta Business Solutions Asia Pte. Limited. And his leadership played a significant part in steering the strategic aspects of sales and has been instrumental in driving growth in the region for Konica Minolta. Recently this senior official of Konica Minolta visited Bangladesh and it was his first visit over here. During his visit he met their local partners and the business community to get a view of the local business of Koinica Minolta. During his visit The Monthly Techworld Bangladesh corresponded got an opportunity to conduct an interview with him. The discussed issues between them are shared below.

Recently Konica Minolta Asia has opened a colossal customer engagement centre in Singapore. So how about its impact in Konica Minolta’s Business response in Asia?

Well, it is good enough to mention. Actually we believe in consumer satisfaction and try to offer the innovative solutions that create value. The center is initiated to drive its regional industrial printing operations as noticed the growing demand of industrial printing, including labels, packaging, and textile. And we do believe that it will grow higher due to the greater adoption of digital technology globally.  We are happy to share that the  Konica Minolta BSA's industrial printing business in South-east Asia, which only started a few years ago, has grown a lot during last 2  years in countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, especially within the food and beverage sector .

So, how about Bangladesh Market and what helped you to make your mind for visiting Bangladesh?

Actually, Asian market is imperative having the large population as consumer as well as the technology adoption qualities of them. As per my experience in Business Development I have found Bangladesh as an emerging market for our Business Solutions. Actually the digital transformation of Bangladesh during last one year has been noticed by us and it got attention from us towards this market seriously. It was the reason that helped me to decide and visit Bangladesh. The objective of visit is to understand the business opportunity here and meet our partners to exchange the business development plan & way out to do better in BD.

How do you see Bangladesh market in general related to Technology development in Business and Production Segment as an opportunity for Konica Minolta?

Actually Bangladesh is moving towards development where digitization is the key concern to consider. And Technological development has been noticed as positive since last few years. Production segment is also in a row. If we consider Konica Minolta market we can say that we have very good business response in Bangladesh and there has the opportunity to expand the area of business solution service of us. The digital printing demand is also growing here in different sector including food and beverage. See the small medium entrepreneurs’ movement is also moving fast here and they are now willing to have their own printing solutions. They like to control their own quality and like to keep up their business security. But may be they can not effort the printing solutions as their printing volume is not too high. Here Konica is offering the best. We have come up with the innovative solutions for SMEs where volume doesn’t matter but the service and solutions. We have the solutions for all, so market is potential to mention.

What will be your plan to grab this business opportunity for Konica Minolta?

Yea we are working on it jointly with our local partners here. And you know to do a good business plan one needs do the R&D to understand the local market.  The market demand and challenges also need to consider doing the plan. This visit is a part of this process to understand the market and its consumers along with the challenges.

So what kind of challenges you have noticed here in Bangladesh?

Humm, if I am not wrong then it is the consumer understanding of services after sale. Consumers are usually running after the product and its price not the service which matters a lot to enjoy a business solution in development. Local market needs to understand the value of services and Innovative solutions that matter in their business or life.  Finally, we need to believe that quality service will increase the business efficiency and productivity.

 How does Konica Minolta plan to overcome such challenges?

For that we are depending on our local partners directly, they will define how do we go about our business and act towards the challenges. They are the decision maker and we have our faith on them and believe that they will find a better solution to address the challenges here. But to say we think the awareness to understand the value of the service and the quality of the product are must.

Regarding awareness Konica Minolta is very much focusing in capital rather in our divisional headquarters of the country. How will you explain it ?

Yes now we have our operation in Dhaka and in a few cities out of it. It depends on our partners’ ability to move there. They are very much keen to expand the business but investment is required to do so. And it will be considered and we hope they will figure it out and will do the best.

We hope your visit will enhance Konica Minoltas business movements here.

Let’s see. We expect the consumer satisfaction on Konica Minoltas business solutions and hope it will increase the productivity of the human resource that enhances the local industry growth.

  • Tadayuki Funakura assumed the role of Managing Director, Konica Minolta Business Solutions Asia Pte. Limited in April 2015.
  • He oversees Konica Minolta’s business development and operations in Asia, as the company undergoes transformation to become more solution and service-centric.
  • Mr. Tadayuki Funakura brings with him over thirty years of experience in the print and imaging industry.
  • Prior to this, he was the General Manager of Sales Division 2, Konica Minolta, Inc.
  • He had played a significant part in steering the strategic aspects of sales and has been instrumental in driving growth in the region.
  • Mr. Funakura holds a Bachelor’s Degree from School of Commerce, Waseda University.

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