Mickey's Voice
-
Blog
Optimism is more than just a feeling; it’s a strategy
Mickey Mikitani, Chairman and CEO, Rakuten Group Over nearly three decades of building and growing Rakuten, I have experienced both successes that energized me and failures that humbled me. What I’ve come to realize is this: Optimism is more than just a feeling; it’s a strategic approach. And when navigating uncertainty, setbacks and change, it’s one of the most powerful tools in our arsenal…
Read More » -
Blog
People are entitled to low-cost mobile connectivity
By Mickey Mikitani, Chairman and CEO, Rakuten Group As a foundational part of humanity’s infrastructure in the 21st century, mobile network operators now have a responsibility to deliver low-cost connectivity to their users. Where the necessary infrastructure is in place, mobile connectivity should be considered a human right. I recently spoke on stage at the World Governments Summit in…
Read More » -
Blog
Supercharging Rakuten’s merchants with AI: CEO Mikitani
“When I started Rakuten over 25 years ago, artificial intelligence was the realm of The Matrix. Today, that reality is closer than ever.” At Rakuten’s annual New Year Conference in Tokyo, Chairman and CEO Mickey Mikitani delivered this message to over 50,000 Rakuten Ichiba merchants around Japan. One major theme of the event was No AI, No Future – a call to action for all businesses, large and sma…
Read More » -
Blog
Mobile, fintech and AI: Why I’m excited about 2025
Mickey Mikitani, Chairman and CEO, Rakuten Group As we step boldly into another new year, I find myself energized by the transformative journey we’ve undertaken at Rakuten. In 2024, industries around the world experienced an unprecedented technological acceleration, amid which we not only achieved significant business milestones, but also reinforced our commitment to empowering digital innovation,…
Read More » -
Blog
The engine of innovation is freedom
Over more than 25 years of building Rakuten into a global innovation company, one truth has remained constant: Genuine innovation can only flourish to its full potential in an environment of freedom. True innovation rarely emerges from top-down directives or rigid hierarchical structures. Instead, breakthrough ideas come from environments where diverse voices can speak freely, where conventional t…
Read More » -
Blog
Betting on the future: Mikitani talks Mobile and AI at Rakuten Technology Conference 2024
At the recent Rakuten Technology Conference in Tokyo, company Chairman and CEO Mickey Mikitani took to the podium to share Rakuten’s innovation backstory and offer a bold vision for its future with engineers around the globe. “When we started Rakuten in 1997, some of you were not even born,” he joked. “Everybody thought the internet was going to be very, very powerful.” Eve…
Read More » -
Blog
At Rakuten, we climb mountains
In the world of tech, we often talk about “seeing around the corner.” It’s a phrase that encapsulates the forward thinking required to anticipate market trends, emerging technologies and evolving consumer needs. But how does one cultivate this forward-thinking mindset? At Rakuten, we practice an unconventional method: we climb mountains. Every autumn, Rakuten’s global leadership team embarks on a…
Read More » -
Blog
Revolution Next: Mobile networks in the AI age
The internet revolution truly began around 1995, when web browsers began to take off. Everyone was talking about online business in Japan, but nobody wanted to take the risk. I left my banking job and created the world’s first B2B2C online marketplace – an idea nobody believed in at the time – and became part of the first generation of internet entrepreneurs. Today, only a handful of those entrepr…
Read More » -
Blog
Empowering tomorrow’s leaders: Overcoming the status quo to achieve success
April marks the season of new beginnings in Japan – and for many recent university graduates across the country, the start of their professional careers. On April 1, 2024, Rakuten welcomed its new graduate employees at Rakuten Crimson House, its global headquarters in Tokyo. Rakuten Group Chairman and CEO Mickey Mikitani greeted them personally, taking the opportunity to share advice and welcome t…
Read More »