PROFILE 2019 | FUTURE 50
CONTENT FROM RAKUTEN
SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 1997, RAKUTEN,
the Japanese e-commerce and Internet
company, has achieved spectacular
growth. The Tokyo-based company has
gone from a single online platform to a
sprawling virtual ecosystem of some 70
services, including banking, streaming
services, and mobile payments.
Today, the company employs over
17,000 “Rakutenians,” as employees are
known. The challenge is keeping them
on track and in sync as the enterprise
continues to expand.“We ensure we’re heading in the
right direction for growth by keeping
everyone engaged and focused on our
most important goals,” says Rakuten
founder Mickey Mikitani, who serves
as chairman, president, and CEO. “We
share our vision for growth with every-
one within the business. We also track
and share core KPIs with everyone and
encourage discussion of red fl ags or
new opportunities.”
To help drive home these goals and
reinforce values such as speed and
agility, the company entered into a part-
nership with FC Barcelona, one of the
most popular soccer teams in the world,
and a jersey sponsorship agreement
with the Golden State Warriors, winners
of three NBA Championships in the past
fi ve seasons.
“These athletes exemplify qualities
that we want our team members to
embrace too,” notes Amit Patel, CEO
of Rakuten Americas and Rakuten
Rewards. “Their innovative, unselfi sh
playing styles and their pursuit of excel-
lence embody our passion for positivity,
transformation, and teamwork.”
Mikitani agrees. “Speed and agility
are at the core of what we do,” he says.
Over the past 22 years, Rakuten
has helped shape the way consumers
shop online. Now it is making signifi cant
strides in new fi elds that will revolution-
ize how people live and work, from
fi ntech and drone delivery to cancer
research and the launch of the world’s
fi rst fully virtualized, cloud-based,
5G-ready mobile network.
In recognition, the company has
been named to the 2019 list of Fortune
Future 50 companies, which ranks
global organizations with the best
prospects for long-term growth.
“Being part of the Future 50 is an
opportunity to share our message of
optimism and empowerment, as well as
recognition that this message resonates
with the business community,” says
Mikitani. “We will continue to challenge
ourselves to evolve, innovate, and ex-
periment, and to create a better, brighter
future for society.” ■After an explosive start, speed and agility continue to endow
Rakuten with the best prospects for long-term growth among
the world’s top companies.The Future Is Bright
for an E-CommercePowerhouseRakuten founder and CEO Mickey Mikitani
at Crimson House, the company’s world
headquarters in Tokyo