Asami Satō
Asami Satō | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 28 April 1970 |
| Nationality | Akashian |
| Alma mater | Hirakawa University |
| Occupation | Businesswoman |
| Known for | Founder of Satō Industries |
| Net worth |  ㋷2,5 billion (2020) |
Asami Satō (Miranian: 麻美 佐藤; Gothic: 𐌰𐍃𐌰𐌼𐌹 𐍃𐌰𐍄𐍉; born 28 April 1970) is an Akashian businesswoman. She is the founder and president of Satō Industries, Akashi's largest conglomerate. She is one of Akashi's richest women, and is known for her philanthropy, interest in environmentalism, and upstanding reputation.
Early life
Asami was born on 28 April 1970 in Hirakawa. She grew up in a middle-class family. She describes her childhood as comfortable and prudent, and credits her parents with instilling a spirit of frugality.
She completed a degree in economics at Hirakawa University.
During a trip to Gylias, Asami met Kanna Miyashita, whose Miyashita Industries was just taking off. Asami admired Kanna, and expressed her wish to have a similar career. The two became close friends, and Kanna served as Asami's mentor in business.
Career
Asami founded an e-commerce cooperative in 1994, which grew rapidly as a result of Akashi's 1990s economic boom and the digital revolution. Its steady expansion eventually led to it becoming a cooperative federation by 2000, taking the name "Satō Industries".
Asami devised an ambitious strategy for further expansion in order to make Satō Industries a full-fledged keiretsu, and successfully gained majority support from its workforce and member companies to implement it. Satō Industries diversified into various areas, beginning with light industry. It built a close cooperation with the government, allowing it to enter economic areas normally reserved for state-owned enterprises.
It successfully acquired licenses to expand into heavy industry under government supervision, which completed its keiretsu ambitions.
As an extension of their close friendship, Asami and Kanna's respective groups entered into a business alliance. The mutual cooperation influenced Asami to push for a shift towards clean technology and green jobs, which became part of Satō Industries' central philosophy in the 2000s–2010s.
Public image
Asami is one of Akashi's richest businesswomen, with a net worth of ㋷2,5 billion as of 2020. She is one of Akashi's most respected businesswomen, esteemed for her philanthropic, socially-minded approach to business.
She is frequently featured in Akashian tabloids as one of Akashi's best-dressed and most beautiful women, particularly recognised for her long black hair and green eyes.
She is an enthusiastic fan of motorsport, and founded the Eikō Rally in 2007, which later became part of the Tyran ecoRally Championship.
She established the Asami Satō Foundation in 2005, in order to give away her fortune for philanthropic purposes. She transferred all her shares in Satō Industries to the Foundation, and for years gave away her money in secret, wanting no publicity for her philanthropy. By 2020, she had donated more than ㋷3 billion. Her ambition is to give away her entire fortune, and then disband the foundation. She has expressed a desire to completely retire from her business career on turning 60.
Private life
Asami is married to Kora (Gothic: ᚴ𐍉𐍂𐌰), a mixed martial artist considered one of Akashi's greatest. They are childhood friends and later developed romantic feelings for each other, leading to their marriage. They have no children.
Both Asami and Kora are very private, and are famous for their mutual devotion. They once had a joint photoshoot and interview with Shūkan Gendai, in which they discussed their successful marriage in order to provide useful advice to other Akashian couples.
Asami is known for her frugality. She lives with Kora in the same Hirakawa apartment that her parents owned, does not own a car, and travels by bike and public transport. Her only notable possession is a ㋷2000 digital watch, which she's owned since university.
Politics
Asami has never endorsed a politician or a party for office. Her sole mention of politics in an interview was limited to mentioning she admired the ideal of an environmentally sustainable cooperative commonwealth.
She has met with and maintained good relations with contemporary Prime Ministers Ran Tsukuda, Anna Carbone, and Kōko Kaga, reflecting Satō Industries' close cooperation with the government.