Tomio Isogai, Sharp Middle East's new Managing Director unveils key features of his new strategy

After spending over 25 years at several key positions at Sharp Corporation's offices across the globe, Tomio Isogai, the new Managing Director of Sharp Middle East FZE is undertaking a major strategic re-alignment in the region, which is set to double the Japanese Electronics giant's sales volumes in the next 3 years.

"My first stint in the region was in Saudi Arabia, where I spent 5 years learning about this market between 1984 and 1989," said Tomio Isogai. "Since then a lot of things have changed but the most crucial element - the customer - is still the Arabs and those expats who are proud of their heritage and steeped in their culture. My foremost task is to listen to our customers and convey the manufacturers messages in the language they understand and to tailor our product mix to suit their needs."

Tomio Isogai unveiled the new strategy the company will implement during the next 3 years, undertaken in phases and focused on a few key elements:

Business expansion:

Sharp Middle East FZE will be undertaking an aggressive business expansion strategy, which will see the company - along with its partners and associates in the region - fill the gaps in retail presence and distribution efficiencies to meet the growing demands of the region.

"Whether it is geographic presence, shelf visibility or customer reach, the market will witness a much more forceful approach from us in the near future," said Isogai. "We have been phenomenally successful in the region till now but growth opportunities and market dynamics require a stronger thrust in this area," he added.

A revamped, focused product mix:

Sharp products have a global reputation of being at the cutting edge of technology, but a renewed vigor is needed in choosing products that meet the distinctive needs of the region and that reflect the company's unique positioning in the marketplace. This means localizing and customizing products and product lines to maximize opportunities for revenue growth, keeping in mind the regional realities. The 3 categories on which the company will focus will be:

• LCD Televisions: This product category represents one of the highest growth areas in the region and the coming months and years will see Sharp investing resources and efforts on replicating its global leadership status in LCD Televisions in the region. This is particularly significant in view of the commissioning of the new world's largest and most advanced Kameyama No.2 Plant in Japan. The brand's flagship 65" AQUOS LCD will spearhead Sharp's growth in this category.

• Eco and Earth friendly products: Sharp is one of the few electronics manufacturers that have consciously developed formidable strengths and capabilities in eco-friendly technologies. Investing heavily in innovative research, Sharp has emerged a leader in several product categories, including household appliances and solar energy generation. The company's Plasmacluster Ion Technology* is re-defining customer benefits in categories such as air-conditioning, air-purification and refrigeration. Unveiled during the press conference was the company's flagship refrigerator range incorporating the Plasmacluster Ion Technology*.

Sharp is also number 1 globally in solar panel technology and manufacturing, a capability that can be immensely beneficial in the region with its year-round sunshine. The coming period will see a renewed activity in this sector and Sharp is poised to attain the first-mover advantage here.

• Business to Business products: This is another high-growth area for Sharp and one where the company is particularly strong globally and in the region. These strengths will be further leveraged to boost sales revenues offering the most cost effectiveness with solutions, particularly in the color-printing sector.

Goals:

Middle East accounts for less than 5% of Sharp's global sales excluding Japan. The aim is to increase it to 7% in 2007 and boosted to 10% in 2008. Sharp's marketing efforts will focus on redefining what the company stands for and believes in - Sustainability of earth's resources and development of technologies that are truly eco-friendly. This positioning will be reinforced through the company's marketing strategy, creating a distinct brand image for Sharp. Coupled with customization of messages and communications to the regional cultural realities, this will see a revamp of Sharp's brand image and consumer perception.