Story

Our company started in 1983 as a radio program production company. It was launched by two of us: myself and another co-manager, Yamada. I was in charge of program production such as live broadcasts on the front lines of broadcasting stations, while Yamada was in charge of the commercial production front lines. The background of our launch was thinking that the know-how of time-keeping and structuring cultivated there could be utilized in events.

Exactly the late 1980s was the glamorous era of the bubble economy. Beginning with the Tsukuba Expo (1985), large exhibition halls were born one after another from Harumi to Makuhari Messe (1989). Companies began to actively incorporate events into their PR and promotions, making it a period when the Japanese event industry developed significantly. As the need for events surged all at once, there were still very few specialized production companies at the time, so in a position truly like pioneers, we received orders for numerous exhibitions, new product announcement events, national caravans, etc., from advertising agencies and clients.

The reason we have been able to continue running at the forefront of the industry for 40 years since then lies in our "commitment to quality." Since we originally came from the front lines of broadcasting stations, very strict standards for quality were drilled into us. We write everything ourselves, not to mention planning documents and proposals, but also manuals, structure tables, scripts, and so on.

At the time, there were few companies in the event industry that were that thorough, but for us, that was our "raison d'etre" as professionals, and a standard we naturally had to clear. As a whole company as well, it's "quality first." Not just giving shape to the client's needs, but definitely clearing our level of tacit knowledge and professional quality, and then providing something that exceeds expectations. This stance is our company's greatest strength, which has earned us trust for many years.

While management was stable, the trigger for starting to consider the option of joining a group this time was "business succession." We can't be on the front lines forever, so we were thinking about how to pass the company onto the next generation toward our 50th anniversary. Initially, we vaguely thought of an internal succession where we would choose the next president from among the internal producers and pass the baton.

At that time, we were approached by Mr. Yamamoto of Neural. However, to be honest, initially there was a strong reaction of rejection. We had the pride that "we can still do it ourselves," and a negative impression inevitably preceded the term M&A. Actually, we declined a total of 4 times.

The trigger for change was a business succession study session we held internally over about half a year with the cooperation of a bank. As we gained knowledge about the structure of holding companies and the handling of shares in the case of internal succession, including the producer team, we came to flatly understand that "M&A is also a valid option for the future." And when we received the 5th offer from Mr. Yamamoto, we received a passionate presentation once again, and steered toward "Well, let's try proceeding to due diligence (asset assessment) for now."

The final decisive factor was a sense of crisis and excitement toward the "future 5 or 10 years from now." Just as Sony, who has taken care of us for many years, shifted greatly from manufacturing to an entertainment company, the changes in the times, and the speed of AI evolution are tremendous. If it were just to "merely let the company survive," it would be entirely possible as is, but if we stick to our past ways, we won't be able to continue shining in 10 years. We strongly felt future possibilities in the new challenge of fusing the cutting-edge AI technology the group has with our event know-how.

It has been 3 months since joining the group. To be honest, the staff is still in the midst of changes to adapt to the rules and settlement speeds as a listed group, and I think it is a period with some confusion. Until now, as an owner company, we proceeded with accounting and operations at our own pace, but once you enter a listed company group, you must align with those rules and the tempo of accounting settlements. Disliking change is human instinct, so confusion is natural, but I politely convey to the staff that "this is a necessary change for the company to proceed to the next stage."

On the other hand, synergies between group companies have already begun moving vividly on the front lines. Now, new initiatives regarding cutting-edge technologies and creatives are starting, and movements to form project teams jointly with specialists within the group have begun. Being able to do creative work together with specialists like "Major Leaguers," namely cutting-edge AI engineers, should be a very happy and interesting experience for our staff as well.

Also, lateral connections with other group companies have become a great stimulus. For example, I am very interested in the "management know-how to keep high profit margins" of Cactus, which is in the same group, and I want to learn it. Furthermore, practical collaborations such as jointly proposing LEDs to use in our event productions by linking with the LED business within the group have already started moving. If amusement software production know-how and such rides on top of this, we can do even more interesting things.

I feel that Neural Group is not a conventional pyramid-shaped organization, but such a "network-type corporate entity" where each company functions independently like planets in space while connecting laterally, centering around the holding company. I am convinced that by linking the hardware, production, and software of each company with the core technology of AI, we can propose new possibilities of entertainment and expression unprecedented in the world.

I suppose the point that many business owners considering M&A feel most anxious about is "how their own company's culture and unique strengths will be handled" after joining the group.

Pomato Pro gathers "people who love creation." While arranging a sound management foundation as a listed company, how to maintain the passion for creative work we have cultivated for 40 years at a high level and further make it bloom. Regarding that, we have repeatedly had deep dialogues with the group's management team, and while sharing values with each other, I strongly feel the response that we can together create an environment where we can concentrate 100% on creation.

At our root is the culture of "valuing people and having an altruistic mind." No matter how much it becomes the era of AI, the essence of an event remains unchanged: "looking at people's faces, and providing surprise and emotion that reaches their hearts, and overwhelming results beyond what the other party desires." Without wavering from our commitment to quality, and by utilizing the reassuring weapon of the cutting-edge AI technology the group possesses, I hope to increase options going forward so we can respond to diverse requests from customers at any time.

What we aim for is not simply expanding the sales scale, but to create content together from this group that we can be proud of globally, as a company of high-quality creation. For that purpose as well, I think we first want to firmly build a track record and trusting relationships on the front lines, and make the group's collaboration even stronger.

The spirit of always accepting new stimuli and taking on challenges itself becomes the weapon to survive the coming era. I sincerely look forward to being able to create new entertainment together with the peers who will newly join the group from now on, while mutually respecting each other's strengths.