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Hiroki Kitagawa
Hitachi Asia - General Manager, Research & Development Center
Professional Background
Hiroki Kitagawa is a dynamic leader and innovator in the field of industrial design and research, currently serving as the General Manager of the Research & Development Center at Hitachi Asia Ltd. His extensive career at Hitachi, a globally recognized leader in technology and innovation, spans several key roles where he has been instrumental in developing and implementing advanced strategies for technology development and collaborative innovation. Kitagawa's primary focus encompasses Southeast Asia and Australia, where his efforts in open innovation have fostered significant advancements in technology and design.
Kitagawa embarked on his professional journey at Hitachi in 1992 after earning his Master of Engineering in Industrial Design from Chiba University. He began as a designer at the Design Center, where he contributed to the development of cutting-edge enterprise systems for financial institutions. This early experience laid a strong foundation for his subsequent work in system development, where he showcased his adeptness for strategically integrating design thinking into complex technological frameworks.
In 2009, Kitagawa pioneered a novel methodology known as the "Ex-approach," which emphasizes an experience-oriented approach to system development. This innovative strategy transformed the traditional methodologies utilized within Hitachi’s Information and Telecommunication Systems Company, demonstrating Kitagawa's foresight in aligning design with user experience at an organizational level. His commitment to enhancing collaboration and creativity culminated in 2012 with the introduction of "NEXPERIENCE," a collaborative creation methodology that has been influential in facilitating cooperative projects and advancing product design.
His leadership resilience and capacity for innovative thought were further exemplified during his tenure as the General Manager of the Center for Social Innovation - Tokyo from 2017 to 2019. Here, he not only promoted collaborative creation projects but also integrated vision design activities that harnessed collective insight towards societal betterment. In 2020, Kitagawa moved to his current role, leveraging his extensive experience and deep understanding of design to propel research and development initiatives at Hitachi Asia.
Education and Achievements
Kitagawa's academic credentials are as impressive as his professional achievements. He earned a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering from Musashi Institute of Technology (now part of Tokyo City University) and furthered his studies with a Master of Engineering in Industrial Design from Chiba University. This solid educational background provided him with the technical expertise and design acumen necessary to thrive in an industry as dynamic as technology.
Throughout his illustrious career at Hitachi, Kitagawa has held numerous key roles that reflect both his adaptability and leadership capabilities. Prior to his current position, he served as the Deputy General Manager of the Strategic Planning Division within Hitachi's Control System Platform Division. He was also a Senior Strategist for the Technology Strategy Office in the Research & Development Group. In these roles, Kitagawa helped shape strategic directions, ensuring that Hitachi remained at the forefront of innovation in a rapidly evolving technology landscape.
Craning back to his foundational roles, Kitagawa has also served as the Head of the Planning Office in the Design Division and the Department Manager of various capacities within the Design Division. His influence has extended from conceptual design to strategic implementation, showcasing his versatility and commitment to fostering successful projects through a blend of innovation, design, and technology.
Beyond his diverse professional roles at Hitachi, Kitagawa is actively involved in the academic community. He is a valued member of the Japanese Society for the Science of Design (JSSD) and serves as an advisory committee member for the Design School at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST). His contributions in these forums are testaments to his commitment to advancing the field of industrial design and enhancing research and development practices on a broader scale.
Achievements
Hiroki Kitagawa's career achievements are notably marked by his innovative methodologies that have transformed traditional approaches to design and technology development. His introduction of the "Ex-approach" has redefined system development processes within Hitachi and has garnered attention for its user-centric focus, emphasizing a design-thinking mindset that places user experience at the core of technological solutions.
The collaborative creation methodology "NEXPERIENCE" has sparked new possibilities within interdisciplinary teamwork and innovation. Under Kitagawa's guidance, this methodology has facilitated numerous successful projects, enhancing community engagement and responsiveness to consumer needs. His ability to bridge gaps between technology and design speaks volumes about his visionary leadership style.
His leadership during his tenure at the Center for Social Innovation - Tokyo showcased his strength in steering complex projects that resonate on societal levels, signifying an important mentorship role in nurturing the next generation of innovators in the design field. Kitagawa's contributions to boosting collaborative innovation practices in Southeast Asia and Australia illustrate his global influence and commitment to expanding Hitachi’s impact across diverse markets.
In summary, Hiroki Kitagawa is a distinguished professional whose contributions to industrial design and research and development have propelled Hitachi forward as a leader in technological innovation. From his early beginnings as a designer to his role as a catalyst for change in collaborative methodologies, Kitagawa continues to exemplify excellence and forward-thinking, paving the way for future advancements in his field.
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Mesh is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
Mesh offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Mesh is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Mesh's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Mesh has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Mesh is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Mesh beneficial.
Mesh offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Mesh offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Mesh's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Mesh offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Mesh focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Mesh also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Mesh offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
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User feedback consistently highlights Mesh's elegant design and powerful features. Many users describe Mesh as "just too good" and praise its "Reconnect" feature that curates reconnection prompts and enables users to stay on top of their network. Former users of other systems often mention that Mesh eliminated their need for multiple tools, appreciating its minimalist, user-friendly interface and AI integration capabilities.