Message from the General Managers of Human Resources & General Affairs Div.
Effective April 1, 2025, the Head Office Human Resources & General Affairs Division was reorganized into two divisions. We spoke with the two General Managers leading the organizations about the group’s global HR framework and their vision for the future.
Toward achieving the goals set out in the Medium-term Management Plan 2029, Mitsui & Co. is advancing a global group HR strategy closely aligned with its business strategy. As the Human Resources & General Affairs (HR & GA) Unit, consisting of the HR & GA Divisions I and II, as well as Mitsui & Co. Business Partners (MBP) and Mitsui & Co. HRD Institute (MHR), both of which provide operational excellence (OPE) functions, we are strengthening the HR infrastructure that supports the group’s global and cross-industry business activities. The HR & GA Division I is responsible for HR policy development, recruitment, and wellbeing initiatives, while the HR & GA Division II leads talent management and HR business partner (HRBP) support. Through close collaboration with MBP and MHR, we integrate the strengths of the Center of Excellence (CoE), HRBP, and OPE functions to maximize our comprehensive organizational capabilities through talent development and the strategic deployment of human resources.
Could you tell us about the importance of the global group HR structure in advancing your talent strategy?
Executive Managing Officer, General Manager of Human
Resources & General Affairs Division I (Japan)
Tetsu Watanabe
Watanabe:
Mitsui & Co. Group engages in a wide range of business activities and is working to solve social issues while collaborating with partners both in Japan and around the world. To achieve this, it is essential to create an environment where highly specialized personnel can work globally and across industries, beyond business and regional boundaries. Our company operates under a global matrix structure based on the business unit system. In the HR field, it is also vital to align business and regional organizations and promote talent management, including the development of employees’ capabilities. The global group HR organizational structure has been established to support these efforts.
General Manager of Human
Resources & General Affairs Division II(Japan)
Shinichi Imanishi
Imanishi:
To achieve the goals set out in the Medium-term Management Plan 2029, we have been advancing a talent strategy closely aligned with our business strategy. As a foundation for this strategy, we have introduced "Bloom" and the "Global Talent Management Policy" globally, promoting talent management for each employee beyond the boundaries of recruitment locations and organizations. In addition, through our wellbeing and occupational health and safety initiatives, we are committed to creating a workplace environment where everyone connected with Mitsui & Co. Group can work safely, with peace of mind, and realize their full potential. Through these initiatives, we are pursuing optimal talent deployment and human resource development to maximize the organizational strength of the entire global group.
Could you tell us about your vision and commitment for the future?
Imanishi:
To further strengthen group management capabilities and realize sustainable growth, we believe it is necessary to advance our talent strategy from a global group perspective. To this end, we will further promote global talent management through the effective use of Bloom, strengthen collaboration with HRBPs, and work more closely than ever with MHR and MBP. By bringing together our respective areas of expertise and addressing challenges swiftly and flexibly from multiple perspectives, we will support the success of a diverse workforce while strengthening the group’s overall management capabilities.
Watanabe:
As the importance of HR in the management strategy continues to grow, we aim to further deepen our HR & GA functions by supporting the career development of each member of the HR & GA organizations, enabling them to address increasingly complex challenges with greater expertise. A key strength of our HR & GA organizations is the diversity of our people, including professionals with experience in various HR fields, individuals with specialized expertise gained through work in business units and corporate divisions, and those with experience at group companies in Japan and overseas.
By combining these diverse perspectives and experiences, we will respond flexibly to the rapidly changing business environment and leverage Mitsui & Co.’s open-minded corporate culture to further cultivate talent and a future that reflect the values and spirit of Mitsui & Co.
Global Group HR Organization Structure
CoE（Center of Excellence）
A common global HR infrastructure is essential for enabling employees around the world to participate in the creation of new value on a global scale across multiple industries. The CoE facilitates smooth human resources management at the global group level by creating and providing common personnel and assessment systems, talent management infrastructure, transfer guidelines, and policies on well-being and occupational health and safety that can be used globally. The Human Resources & General Affairs Div. I & II serves as Mitsui's CoE.
HRBP（HR Business Partners）
The HRBP organizations are led by HR coordinators at each business unit and regional CHROs who are the contact points for individual employees. Their role is to support individual employees to fully realize their potential in their work. In Mitsui, HR coordinators in business units and corporate staff divisions, and CHROs in regional business units and blocs work closely to provide career consultation to individual employees and to consider training and transfers based on requirements for and situations of each region and business.
OPE（Operational Excellence）
OPE units are professional organizations established to administer the operational processes needed to ensure the reliable operation of the mechanisms that empower global human resources. They administer personnel systems and policies while providing the group with specialized knowledge. OPE functions are provided under contract by Mitsui & Co. Business Partners Ltd. (MBP) and Mitsui & Co. HRD Institute (MHR).