I’m Nicolas Ishihara. I live in Osaka, where I help AI and developer platforms succeed in Japan.

I had the pleasure of working closely with Nicolas during my time at Vercel, and he is easily one of the most collaborative and effective leaders I’ve worked with. Nicolas managed the regional Customer Success Management team before stepping up to lead Vercel’s expansion and operations in Japan. Beyond his deep functional expertise and strong business execution, what really sets Nicolas apart is his mindset; he brings a genuine eagerness to learn, a ready willingness to jump in and help anyone on the team, and an incredible work ethic. He’s top-tier at his job and an absolute joy to work alongside. Any team or organisation would be fortunate to have him.

While his first and formal role was a Customer Success Manager, his impact at Vercel went far beyond that. He is a key contributor to Vercel’s growth in Japan. He deeply understands the uniqueness of the market, communicates with customers, and builds the user community and strong relationships with customers from the ground up. What stands out to me is his ability to identify what the company needs to do next in Japan and actually make it happen. He collaborates effectively with teams around the world and takes the initiative to drive the business forward in Japan. I commented a lot from the marketing perspective, but he is also very familiar with technical and software engineering topics through his experience at Vercel, the AI Cloud where modern AI applications are hosted. Aside from his professional work, Nicolas is a hilarious person with the "Kansai" spirit who makes people smile, and he is also very humble and has deep respect for others. He is the first Vercel employee I met in person. Since then, I have genuinely enjoyed working with him.

Nicolas is an excellent leader who cares about others a lot. He knows when to step in, and when to just watch and let things happen. He is also very friendly and you will instantly like him when you see him. I have enjoyed working together on collaborative events, and look forward to doing more in the future.

I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Nicolas at Vercel over the past few years and what has consistently stood out to me is his deep understanding of Japanese business culture, what it takes to make customers successful, and his ability to serve as a true bilingual and bicultural bridge between Japan and global teams. Nicolas has a strong ability to translate Japanese market dynamics, customer expectations, and cultural nuances into practical strategies that global teams can understand and execute which is something that is particularly important for international technology companies building and scaling their presence in Japan. I’ve also had the opportunity to see Nicolas firsthand at several events and observe how naturally he interacts with customers, partners, and prospective employees. He is an excellent communicator, but just as importantly, he listens. He takes the time to understand the situation, looks for practical solutions, and consistently goes beyond the boundaries of his formal job description to help the business succeed. For any global company looking to enter or expand in Japan and needing someone who can operate across a broad range of functions during the critical early stages of building the business, I would strongly encourage you to speak with Nicolas. And on a personal note, he’s simply a really nice guy and always fun to talk to!

Nicolas is the kind of person everyone wants on their team because he is very professional, has deep technical understanding and helps wherever he can. When I started working with him, Nicolas was the person who always answered my question, gave me tips how to handle situations and always did so with a very friendly smile on his face. I hope I will be working with Nicolas in the future again because Nicolas will have a big impact on any team.

I met Nicolas when we were both Customer Support Manager, and after he change his position as marketing director, and were working closely together for four years. Nicolas is one of those rare colleague who combines strong people skills, determination and a good humour to maximize his team potential in the best conditions. He's having an astonishing amount knowledge in digital marketing, UX/UI, web, yet he's always learn to become better every day. He's from far the most passionate and organized person I ever worked with. His forward thinking, human skills, and his perpetual research for perfection make him a crucial asset to any organization.

I highly recommend Nicolas for his outstanding work in digital marketing, particularly in managing the Spanish market and developing global strategies. He consistently exceeded targets, driving substantial growth and revenue for our e-commerce company through his expertise in the Spanish market. His ability to tailor marketing campaigns to resonate with the local audience gave us a competitive edge, resulting in exceptional outcomes. He is a proactive problem-solver, an excellent communicator, and a collaborative team player. I wholeheartedly recommend Nicolas for any digital marketing role or leadership position. His exceptional skills, dedication to excellence, and track record of success make him a valuable asset.

During my time working with Nicolas as my Marketing Director, I found him to be highly inspirational in terms of learning curves. He had a remarkable ability to elevate his team's performance, making us more efficient at work and continuously coming up with fresh ideas. In addition to his impressive work ethic, Nicolas was a very pleasant person to communicate with, always showing kindness and consideration toward his team members. Overall, I found Nicolas to be a highly effective and motivational manager who consistently helped his team achieve success. I would highly recommend Nicolas to any company looking for someone who can help elevate their company to the next level. He is definitely a valuable asset to any organization.

My first impression of Nicolas was his capacity to get the most out of his team and organization in a warm and respectful manner. With his unique mix of technical knowledge, curiosity, and a continuous hunger to improve his own skills, I have no doubt he will be a significant asset to any organization he is part of. The right company will benefit exceedingly if they are willing to recognise, encourage and invest in Nicolas in his pursuit of excellence in all areas of his professional career.

Nicolas is one of the most capable people I have had the pleasure to work with. He has an impressively wide base of knowledge in digital marketing, user experience, and web development, yet is always hungry to learn more. He is forward thinking, supremely organized, has a natural ability to teach others, and is multi-lingual. To top it off he's also a genuine caring person and a delightful pleasure to be around.