Manager
Corporate Communications Department
Sustainability and Risk Management Division
"Is there anyone in the company who can participate in Ibaraki National Sports Festival by e-sports (Soccer)?"
- The question from former President Kitano to Sugiyama, manager of the Hitachi Systems soccer club, was the catalyst for the birth of "Mr. Sugiyama, an e-sports expert".
Sugiyama, who had a lot of soccer experience but was inexperienced in e-sports and could not answer the question, proposed to establish an e-sports club in Hitachi Systems to find players in order to respond to the president's request. He became a manager and started by putting e-sports club activities on track. Sugiyama, who was the manager of public relations section were exploring new possibilities for e-sports initiatives and fully utilizing his skills and experience, and tried to attract attention from outside the company by conducting public relations activities of e-sports club linked to the public relations activities we were involved in at the time.
As a result, it was featured in the Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun(well-known Japanese news paper) and the e-sports media "VAMOLA" and the awareness of "Hitachi Systems e-Sports Club" increased. An external network with other companies which has strong e-sports club and experts engaged in e-sports was created, and participations in exchange competitions and competitions were realized, thus successfully revitalizing club activities.
In addition, Sugiyama has accumulated knowledge and know-how by responding to a wide range of requests such as outside lectures introducing the activities of Hitachi Systems e-sports club and planning, managing, and supporting events and workshops incorporating e-sports. He has become known as the "e-sports experts at Hitachi Systems" and continues to be active both inside and outside the company.
Currently, as head of Hitachi Systems e-sports club, he is promoting club activities based on the situation under the COVID-19 disaster through online matches and exchange matches with other companies. As a knowledgeable person, he provides support for communication with customers through e-sports, and his activities are expanding into business areas.
Sugiyama tried to find out what he could do from one question from Mr. Kitano, and it lead to more results than the expect of people around him. With the challenging spirit that he developed through his involvement in e-sports, which he had never experienced before, it is interesting to see what he will do next.
（The article is as of September 22, 2021）
Information contained in the articles are as of the date of publication, but may be subject to change without prior notice.
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Corporate Communications Department
Hitachi Systems, Ltd.
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