About

Yan Sen Lu

Expertise

  • CEO | Country Manager (all industries)
  • CHRO | Human Resources | Talent Acquisition | Compensation & Benefits | Talent Management | HR Business Partner (all industries)
  • CFO | Controller | FP&A (all industries)
  • CIO | CTO | Application Development | Infrastructure | Information Security (all industries)
  • COO | CMO | Sales Director | Marketing Director (healthcare, manufacturing, finance and IT industries)

As Managing Director at Horton International Japan, and the Founder of Makana Partners, I help global companies solve one of Japan’s toughest business challenges: hiring exceptional bilingual talent for senior leadership roles.

Over the past 15+ years, I’ve partnered with Fortune 500s, high-growth startups, and PE-backed firms to build world-class teams across sales, marketing, HR, and general management. From market entry to succession planning, I bring clarity, speed, and discretion to every search.

I specialize in retained and contingent executive search, talent mapping, and advisory for:

• Country Manager & Functional Head roles (Sales, Marketing, HR)
• Japan Market Entry & Expansion Strategy
• Succession Planning & Leadership Assessment

My approach blends international standards with deep local nuance. Trusted by clients for my sharp insight, cross-cultural fluency, and execution discipline, I also leverage AI and automation to drive smarter, faster outcomes.

If you’re expanding in Japan, reshaping leadership, or seeking discreet access to top-tier talent, let’s connect.

Latest Insights

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Japan’s Unique Economic Landscape: A Deep Dive into Opportunities and Challenges

By Yan Sen Lu

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Recruiting In Japan Is Broken

By Yan Sen Lu

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How C-Suite executives can level up their productivity with ChatGPT (and when to avoid it)

By Yan Sen Lu

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