Driving Multi-Faceted Progress, Anchored in Singapore－Haruka Tsubone（Marubeni ASEAN Pte. Ltd., Systems Planning Department, General Manager)

Over 70 Years of Shared Growth with Singapore

Q：What kind of role did your company aim to fulfill when you started your journey in Singapore?

Marubeni’s legacy in Singapore dates back to 1953 with the establishment of our very first office. Beginning with the trade of essential commodities like natural rubber, Marubeni went on to make profound contributions to the country’s foundational infrastructure during its critical nation-building era. We played a pivotal role in constructing the thermal power plants and the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) network that form the structural backbone of the nation today.

Over the decades, we successfully diversified our business portfolio into such areas as logistics and finance, fostering deep-rooted relationships of trust through continuous dialogue and collaboration with Singaporean government agencies. In 2009, this evolution culminated in the launch of Marubeni ASEAN Pte. Ltd. to spearhead integrated operations across the region. Today, we proudly serve as the strategic corporate hub overseeing the entire ASEAN market, continuing to thrive, innovate, and grow in perfect harmony with Singapore’s dynamic progress.

Pushing the Boundaries of What IT Can Achieve

Q： What core beliefs, commitments, and passions do you value most in your daily operations?

At its core, my mission centers on a modern definition of “Corporate IT.” I am responsible for orchestrating Marubeni’s global-standard IT environment across the ASEAN region—seamlessly bridging robust institutional governance with the agile digital foundations required to empower our frontline businesses. While the digital universe is structurally defined by binary code—”zero” and ”one”—the reality of implementing technology is profoundly human. It is people’s emotions, alignment, and shared understanding that truly breathe life into any system. In a market as dynamic and culturally diverse as ASEAN, rigidly exporting top-down mandates from Tokyo rarely succeeds. Continuous, empathetic dialogue with our teams on the ground is indispensable.

I believe in listening intently to the unique operating realities of each country and subsidiary, investing the hands-on effort needed to calibrate global systems to local nuances. My daily commitment is to face the frontline head-on—architecting a secure, optimized environment where every employee can pioneer new business horizons with absolute peace of mind.

Unleashing Cross-Value Through AI-Driven Analytics

Q：How do you envision growing alongside Singapore, and in what ways do you hope to keep contributing to the nation?

As we chart our next major frontier, Marubeni ASEAN is actively championing next-generation business IT initiatives powered by advanced AI. In a dynamic global ecosystem like Singapore—where highly diversified industries intersect—generating genuine “cross-value” requires breaking down traditional organizational boundaries. This cross-silo synergy demands an unprecedented scale of data and real-time information velocity.

To capture this competitive edge, we are beginning to develop a system that centrally aggregates information within the region and analyses it using AI, with the aim of continuously improving our existing businesses while simultaneously unlocking entirely new, data-driven market opportunities. By anchoring this digital transformation in Singapore, we are elevating the region’s strategic gravity across Asia while boldly shaping the future of global commerce.

Allows Everyone to Live Naturally and Authentically

Q：What elements of Singapore’s culture or urban lifestyle do you find truly wonderful and inspiring?

What truly captivates me about Singapore is its unparalleled atmosphere—a dynamic canvas where diverse traditions seamlessly intersect, and where progress is met with open arms. In Japan, I lived with a constant internal tension, driven by a societal expectation to always project perfection. Singapore offered a liberating alternative. It provided the space to drop that shield, offering the profound comfort of authenticity.

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Interviewee Profile

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■ Marubeni ASEAN Pte. Ltd.

◉Founded in 1858, Marubeni Corporation is a global Sogo Shosha (general trading house) with a legacy spanning nearly 170 years. Driven by a global workforce of approximately 50,000 employees and an extensive network of 121 locations worldwide, Marubeni orchestrates highly diversified business operations. The company’s scope encompasses domestic and international trading, strategic cross-border investments, and natural resource development across a broad spectrum of critical industries—such as food, infrastructure, and energy. 🏢Address：138 Market St, #31-01 CapitaGreen Singapore, 048946 📞Phone：6220 4111 🌐Website 📱Instagram：＠marubeni_gallery_official 📱Facebook ：＠marubeni.jp 📲X：＠Marubeni_Corp

　

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