Yuki Mita

Moved from top sales at an electronics retailer across the street from Hikarie

- How did you join the company?

I joined the company in November 2011. My current boss and I were juniors in high school and college, so I was invited to join the Hikarie Hall Preparation Office when it was being set up. When I was a student, I had a class called "Theatre," and the representative of the company, Mr. Ito, was in charge of the overall program. My previous job was in sales at an electronics retail store, and I was brought in with a set of home appliances when I was asked to provide a complete set of appliances for the new office (laugh). However, even though I requested a transfer every year, they wouldn't let me because I was working too hard at the mass retailer where I was working (laugh).

I like to watch it being prepared.

- What are your current responsibilities?

I am now the chief manager of the entire facility that we operate in the Shibuya, Aoyama, Futakotamagawa, and Yokohama areas, after working at Hikarie Hall in the operation and production department. At the Hikarie Hall site, I was in charge of taking the event organizers' intentions into consideration and supporting them to ensure that the events proceeded successfully at the venue. Now, my main job is not on an event-by-event basis, but to make sure that each facility operates smoothly. However, when you are in charge of multiple facilities, you realize that the regional characteristics and the mission and role of each hall are different, and the way to approach them is also completely different. While enjoying the differences, I am struggling to find ways to fulfill those roles and to work together with on-site staff to create operations suited to each facility.

- Did your image of the company change before and after you joined?

When I was in college, I had some idea of theater consulting through Ito's classes, but with the launch of Hikarie Hall, a department for facility management was created, so I felt like we were going to build our own organization for facility management from scratch. When I actually joined the company, every day is fun. When you are doing theater, after rehearsals and the performance is over, you have nothing to do the next day. I think the actors and staff are motivated by the fact that they want to do another production because they feel lonely because there is nothing left to do. I also like to watch the work being done, and it is a driving force for me.

Supporting one by one with pride, even if our name is not mentioned.

- What is your sense of accomplishment?

Many people are involved in the creation of an event, so I feel a sense of accomplishment when we are able to connect those various people and bring the event to a successful conclusion. Our job is to work behind the scenes of glamorous events, and we rarely see our name in front of the public; Hikarie Hall is often used for commercial launches and the like, but usually the news says "at a certain place in Tokyo" (laughs). (Laughs.) Still, even if our name is not mentioned, we know that we cannot let our own place fail. That is why we take pride in supporting each and every event. I feel a sense of accomplishment when I see the event through the media.

- What challenges do you want to take on in the future?

Of course I would like to work in event halls, but I would also like to be involved in theater facility management and other things that are different from what I am used to.

- What do you look forward to on your days off?

Going to see a play with my wife and exchanging our thoughts about it.

Yuki Mita

Chief Manager, Operations and Production Division

Joined the company in 2011.Graduated from Waseda University, Faculty of Letters II, majoring in expressive arts.While in school, attended lectures on theater by Ito, the representative of the company.At the time of the launch of Hikarie Hall, he changed jobs from his previous position at an electronics retail store.As chief manager of Hikarie Hall, he was in charge of various events from fashion shows to seminars.Currently, he oversees the operations of several event halls in the Shibuya, Aoyama, Futakotamagawa, and Yokohama areas, conducting sales suited to each facility and using his expertise to open and operate new facilities.