Please give us a brief description of your company, business and key services.

Softbridge is a technology services provider headquarted in Singapore, with main offices in Tokyo and Pune, India. Softbridge FT, our resourcing arm focused at Finance and Technology clients throughout the Asia Pacific region, complements our integration, outsourcing and IT education offerings by providing financial services and technology customers with the best globally sourced resources when and where they are needed throughout the region.

What’s unique about your company? Why would clients choose your company?

We have a very clear focus to provide total solution services for financial services and technology companies throughout Asia Pacific. Our clients enjoy not just the best access to global financial and IT professionals, but also related support services, such as onsite consultation, offshore development, education solutions and customized technical support. We offer partner companies expanding their activities in Asia both global resource delivery paired with strong local knowledge.

What types of companies make up your client base?
Do you focus on a particular industry?

We have most likely the strongest delivery model for financial services companies in Asia Pacific. We deal mainly with investment banks (capital markets, private equity, etc.), investment managers (fund managers, hedge funds, etc.), and the financial service and technology providers that support them.

What type of people are your clients looking for?

Our clients place a great amount of importance on strong business and market knowledge. Previous experience in capital markets is often essential, as is the personal profile of being the type of person who has the intelligence and fortitude to survive in a very competitive and challenging global environment

What types of jobs do you place? Is it essential to be bilingual for most positions you fill?

Our clients, both domestic and foreign, are almost by definition international. Thus strong English skills (moreover strong presentation skills) are essential. Support level positions often require local language skills as well, as do many project related positions where local vendor management is involved. In more senior positions often local language skills are less important than strong business and technical knowledge new to the target market.

What are the present general trends in the executive search market here in Japan? Future trends?

With the unemployment rate in Japan at historic lows, demographic pressures created by an aging population, and the yen constantly gaining strength, we see an increasingly positive market for both foreign and domestic Japanese IT engineers. There is great and increasing demand particularly amongst financial services firms for skilled individuals who have knowledge of the trends and technologies leading foreign markets. People who can then in turn deliver these solutions to both Japanese and foreign multinationals competing in Asia Pacific are going to continue to see unmatched career and remuneration opportunities going forward.