Founder & CEO
Robin Doenicke, PCC
LEGAL, TOKYO
ASK ME ABOUT
Crawling on my hands and knees to the 6,476m summit of Mera Peak in the Himalayas, drinking Ayahuasca with Shamans deep in the Amazon jungle, and my daily early morning martial arts practice of standing still for an hour.
AND FOR THE REST OF THE STORY
Robin is an Australian entrepreneur, coach, and martial arts expert. A vocal prodigy, he was invited to study at the prestigious Sydney Conservatorium of Music, but declined in favor of business, working for four years as an account manager at advertising giant DDB.
In 1996, he moved to Japan to apprentice with Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu grandmaster, Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi, ultimately earning the top rank of Dai Shihan. He is today a popular teacher worldwide, and continues to immerse himself in new martial disciplines that complement and expand his knowledge – especially the Russian art of Systema.
In 2003, he co-founded Zensho, which soon became unanimously respected as Japan’s executive search leader in the legal sector. Recruitment International Asia confirmed this by awarding his firm trophies for service excellence in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
In 2016, sensing a global shift toward greater autonomy for working people, Robin took the bold step of recreating Zensho as a paradigm-changing ‘blue ocean’ platform that would liberate and reward recruitment professionals to a degree previously unseen. The market took note, and more awards followed, including “Best Company to Work For” and “Best Newcomer.”
Robin was named one of “30 People to Watch in the Business of Law in Asia in 2017” by Asia Law Portal, and featured in the acclaimed business documentary “The Movement,” released to a global audience in 2018. In 2019, Robin’s vision and commitment led Recruitment International to award him his market’s most coveted honor, “Business Leader of the Year,” and he was again recognized for leadership excellence in 2020 when APAC Entrepreneur magazine featured him as one of the “20 Most Influential Entrepreneurs in Japan.”
Coaching is an essential art for one so passionate about helping others accelerate the emergence of their potential. In 2020, Robin was awarded certifications — as a Stakeholder Centered Coach by world #1 Marshall Goldsmith, and from Andrew Neitlich’s renowned Center for Executive Coaching. He is also credentialed as a Professional Certified Coach by the International Coaching Federation.
When not turning the recruitment world on its head, he can be found braving the toughest Himalayan treks or exploring the mysteries of Ayahuasca in the Peruvian Amazon. He is a devoted husband and father to the three loves of his life — wife Yuki, daughter Emma, and son Joe — with whom he lives in Tokyo.
Robin’s motto: This is it. Let life flow.
