HIROYUKI TSUTSUI

Japan-Vietnam Industrial Strategy Analyst | Geopolitical & Business Analyst | Southeast Asia | Based in Hanoi, Vietnam

Hanoi Capital Region

About

I write about the intersection of geopolitics and business in Southeast Asia — from the ground. For the past several years, I have been based in Hanoi, Vietnam, managing a Japanese manufacturer's subsidiary and overseeing operations across multiple Asian markets including Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Singapore. Before Vietnam, I spent six years managing a subsidiary in China. That experience gave me a front-row seat to how global political shifts translate into real business decisions — pricing, supply chains, hiring, and market strategy — at the operational level. My background combines security studies and international economics, trained at Japan's National Defense Academy and graduate school at Nihon University. That combination — strategic thinking, economic analysis, and decade-plus of frontline business experience across Asia — shapes how I read the world. What I write about: how geopolitical events reshape business conditions in Southeast Asia. Not theory. Not headlines. The structural dynamics underneath. If you are a business leader, investor, or policy watcher trying to make sense of what is actually happening in this region, I write for you.

Experience

  • General Director & Head of Corporate Global Business Division at TOZEN Corporation
    Oct 2022 - Present · 3 yrs 10 mos

    Vietnam Running a manufacturing subsidiary in Vietnam while overseeing business across 8+ Asian markets. This role sits at the intersection of local execution and regional strategy — managing P&L, rebuilding sales channels, and navigating the gap between Japanese headquarters logic and Southeast Asian market reality. The day-to-day gives me direct visibility into how geopolitical shifts translate into actual business decisions on the ground.

  • Solution Business Strategy Leader, Global Business Division at Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Oct 2019 - Sep 2022 · 3 yrs

    Developed mid-to-long-term strategy for global solutions business (BMS, engineering, maintenance). Led M&A and alliance initiatives targeting BMS players across Asia. Built cross-border collaboration frameworks to transfer Japan's technical expertise to overseas operations.

  • Business Planning Manager (Japan/Thailand) at Johnson Controls
    Mar 2011 - Sep 2019 · 8 yrs 7 mos

    Led turnaround of HVAC and control systems sales, achieving double-digit growth and return to profitability within a single fiscal year through dealer network restructuring and organizational reform.

  • Building Automation Sales → China & Hong Kong Business Head at Azbil Corporation
    Apr 1991 - Oct 2006 · 15 yrs 7 mos

    Built and managed business operations in Hong Kong (2000–2006) and Southern China / Shenzhen / Guangzhou (2000–2003). Secured landmark high-rise projects and expanded sales to Japanese manufacturers entering China during the economic boom. Started career in Japan in building automation solution sales to general contractors and design firms.