James Whelan

Senior Consultant  /Japan & APAC Recruitment

I specialise in connecting international and domestic talent with high-growth companies across Japan and the wider APAC region. With a strong focus on the Japanese market, I help organisations build leadership and specialist teams that can operate effectively in bilingual and cross-cultural environments. 

At Ryze Consulting, my work centres on executive search and strategic hiring for technology-driven and globally ambitious businesses. I partner closely with startups, scale-ups, and multinational organisations looking to expand or strengthen their presence in Japan, with a particular emphasis on hard-to-find, business-critical profiles across software, SaaS, data, and digital transformation. 

My approach combines deep market insight with a highly consultative recruitment style. I focus on engaging passive candidates, mapping niche talent pools, and delivering long-term hiring solutions rather than transactional placements. I’m particularly passionate about bridging the gap between international companies entering Japan and top local talent seeking global opportunities. 

I believe the strongest teams are built through trust, cultural understanding, and long-term partnership. My goal is to act as a strategic advisor to both clients and candidates, helping to create meaningful, high-impact careers and scalable, future-ready organisations across Japan and APAC.