That is the sharing of Ms. Makiko Ono (64 years old), President and CEO of Suntory Beverage and Food Group (Japan). Ms. Ono was honored in the top 10 of the list of "100 most powerful women in Asia" in 2024 voted by Fortune Magazine (USA).
Breaking the "glass ceiling"
Makiko Ono's rise through the leadership ranks of Suntory Beverage and Food, a multinational corporation specializing in the production and trading of food, beverages, and refreshments, is rare in Japan, a country that "lags behind" other countries in terms of gender equality.
Her tenacity and perseverance made her an exception to the norm for Japanese women in the 1980s, when female workers were expected to quit their jobs after marriage. She earned an MBA from the International Institute for Management Development. In 1982, shortly after joining Suntory, Makiko Ono was assigned to the team that led the first successful bid by a Japanese company for a French winery, Château Lagrange in the Bordeaux region. In 1991, she worked in Paris for Suntory France. In 2001, she became marketing director of the Japanese ice cream brand HäagenDazs, in which Suntory held a 40% stake.
Ms. Ono was appointed CEO of Orangina in 2020 and became head of Suntory's sustainability division in January 2022. In March 2023, Ms. Makiko Ono officially assumed the position of President and CEO of Suntory Group. She became the first woman to lead the 1,000 billion yen brand, with more than 200 subsidiaries and tens of thousands of employees worldwide.
Working environment at Suntory Group
Ms. Ono's success story cannot be mentioned without mentioning the corporate culture "yatte minahare" (dare to think, dare to do): the spirit of not giving up, daring to dream and being ready to face challenges of each member of Suntory. This also creates long-term strength for this enterprise to conquer new heights. Ms. Ono sees a lot of potential for Suntor's development in foreign markets. For example, in the European market, energy drinks, coffee and tea are chosen by many people, but Suntory is currently lacking in that market.
So one of the first things Ono did was to look for ways to expand the market and promote Suntory products in countries they had not yet set foot in. In August 2023, Suntory established a ready-to-drink alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage division called Suntory Oceania in Australia and New Zealand.
She was honored by Time magazine (USA) as one of the "Women of the Year" in 2023. She was honored in the top 10 of the list of "100 most powerful women in Asia" in 2024 voted by Fortune magazine.
Creating conditions for women to develop
According to Tokyo Shoko Research, of the 1,802 companies currently listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, less than 1% have female CEOs. "There are very few women in management positions at large companies like Suntory. So the rise of female entrepreneurs to become CEOs will be a source of inspiration and have a big impact on businesses," said Akiko Kojima, an expert at the Japan Research Institute.
Ms. Makiko Ono and colleagues in France
"When the opportunity comes, give it a try. Even if you fail, take the challenge, face it, persevere, and never give up. Even if you fail, you won't have to suffer from it for the rest of your life, so take the challenge with an open mind."
Ms. Makiko Ono - President and CEO of Suntory Beverage and Food Group
“The beverage and liquor industry has traditionally been male-dominated, so Suntory’s promotion of a female CEO is a symbolic move because it signals that management is taking board diversity seriously,” said Aisa Ogoshi, a Tokyo-based fund manager at JPMorgan Asset Management.
CEO Makiko Ono has been at the forefront of efforts to bring more female leaders into the group. Suntory aims to have 30% of management positions held by women by 2030, up from 13% when Ono took the top job. She has been vocal about allowing working women time to raise children and encouraging young women to pursue business careers. "The environment needs to change to accommodate women with families. There is still a long way to go to achieve the goals, but this is an opportunity for us to fight and do our best. Career opportunities are now more equitable. So I hope that women will not give up and will seize any opportunity that comes their way," Ono said.
Source: Reuters, Financial Times
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