AJBCC-JABCC Future Leaders gathered for the first Speaker Series Fireside Chat in Tokyo for 2026 with Andrew Gauci (Chairman Japan and Executive Director, Development Partnerships) at Lendlease on 15 May 2026.
Drawing on over 25 years of experience in Japan, Andrew shared candid reflections on building and leading a career across cultures. Andrew’s journey is one defined by relationships. From rolling out Japan’s 3G network to signing multi-billion-dollar deals built on friendships cultivated over decades, his career demonstrates that genuine connection underpins lasting success. Andrew’s practical approaches to building trust, from walking meetings to manufactured proximity, reinforced that relationships are built through everyday efforts.
A few themes that particularly resonated were the importance of finding your own “point of difference,” and being intentional about where your strengths can have the greatest impact. He also spoke about the unique position of working in Japan as a foreigner, where your different perspectives can, when used thoughtfully, become a real advantage and be impactful.
Andrew closed with encouragement for Future Leaders to stay confident in bringing their perspectives to the table and to engage with issues of strategic importance to both Japan and Australia (including energy security, food security, and defence).
A sincere thank you to Andrew for sharing such thoughtful and practical insights, and to Lendlease for hosting us at their Tokyo office. We look forward to continuing these conversations as we strengthen Australia-Japan collaboration.