Okta is looking to raise its profile in Japan. The enterprise identity specialist is opening a new office in the country, describing the decision as an investment in the Japanese technology market. The move is also in keeping with the company’s broader global expansion efforts.
The Japan office will operate under the direction of Takashi Watanabe, who has been brought on to serve as Okta’s first Japan Country Manager. In addition to overseeing the company’s general business strategy, Watanabe will be asked to work with various technology partners to improve the interoperability of different security solutions for Japanese entities.
“Okta’s vision is to enable any organization to use any technology,” said Okta CEO and Co-Founder Todd McKinnon. “Japanese businesses are adopting tools across the full technology spectrum–from cloud to on-premises–and Okta is the only identity provider that can truly help simplify and secure adoption across all technologies.”
Watanabe brings more than 25 years of experience to his new position. He has previously worked with international brands like Adobe and SAP to help them make inroads in Japan, and joins Okta after a stint as the General Manager of Japan at Appirio KK, another role in which he was expected to grow the company’s domestic business.
“Securing access to every kind of technology is pivotal to organizations operating in a secure, efficient, and productive way,” said Watanabe. “I’m excited for what the future holds.”
Okta now provides security services for nearly 9,000 organizations around the world, with Equifax and the State of Illinois standing as some of its most recent customers. The company launched new Platform Services and FastPass products at its Oktane20 Live event in April.
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