AKQA appoints Toshihide Otsuka as Managing Director in Japan

ITOCHU executive joins AKQA to lead the next phase of growth following the expansion of the ITOCHU and AKQA partnership.

Toshihide served as Senior Vice President and General Manager of the ICT and Financial Business Division at ITOCHU International Inc. until the end of March.

In late 2025, AKQA and ITOCHU announced the expansion of their partnership after five years of collaboration. The expanded partnership deepens AKQA’s investment in Japan, enhancing services and scale across the region. By combining creativity, design, intelligent production and emerging technologies, the unified entity helps brands move beyond incremental change to unlock new value and build future-ready growth and experiences.

With nearly three decades of experience, Toshihide brings extensive knowledge in media, technology, and business development to his new role at AKQA.

On his new role, Toshihide said: “I am honoured to lead AKQA Japan at a time of great potential, working collaboratively with a team dedicated to imagination and partnership. By translating bold ideas into effective solutions, I intend to deliver meaningful outcomes for clients and the wider community.”

Toshihide succeeds Teppei Tsuchikawa, who returns to ITOCHU as General Manager of the Communications Business Department.

Teppei said: “As AKQA Japan enters a new chapter, I can think of no better leader than Toshihide. He brings strategic clarity and is deeply committed to our clients and people. I look forward to supporting the next phase together.”

On Toshihide’s appointment, AKQA APAC Lead, Arvind Singh added: “Our partnership with ITOCHU combines AKQA’s global capabilities with one of Japan’s top networks. Toshihide has deep experience in technology, media, and global business. He is well-positioned to lead AKQA Japan as we create new value for clients at the intersection of imagination and technology.”

Toshihide will work closely with AKQA’s global leadership team and ITOCHU partners. His focus will be on strengthening regional relationships, expanding studio capabilities, and advancing AKQA’s role as a frontier agency that helps businesses navigate rapid change.