ValueSelling Deepens APAC Roots with Local Leadership in China and Japan

CARLSBAD, Calif. – March 31, 2026 – Global sales training leader ValueSelling Associates has announced a significant strategic expansion in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, appointing veteran executives Kevin Sun as Managing Partner in China and Tetsuro Yamamoto as Managing Partner in Japan. The move signals a deeper commitment to providing localized, culturally-attuned sales training for multinational corporations navigating the complexities of these critical markets.

This expansion reinforces the company's investment in a region projected to be the fastest-growing market for sales training. By installing seasoned local leadership, ValueSelling aims to bridge the gap between global sales strategies and local execution, a common challenge for international firms.

“Expanding our presence in the Asia-Pacific region is a key pillar of our global growth strategy,” said Julie Thomas, president and CEO of ValueSelling Associates, in a statement. “Our two new Managing Partners, Kevin Sun and Tetsuro Yamamoto, bring a unique combination of regional expertise and global business experience.”

The Global Sales Alignment Imperative

For multinational B2B organizations, maintaining a consistent sales approach across diverse geographic and cultural landscapes is a persistent struggle. Different regions exhibit unique buyer behaviors, communication styles, and business etiquette, often rendering a one-size-fits-all sales methodology ineffective. This inconsistency can lead to disjointed customer experiences, inaccurate forecasting, and lost revenue opportunities.

ValueSelling’s latest move addresses this challenge head-on. The company, which already delivers programs in over 17 languages including Mandarin and Japanese, is shifting from a broad regional presence to a more granular, country-specific leadership model. This strategic deepening acknowledges that true localization requires more than just language translation; it demands an innate understanding of the local business ecosystem.

While the company has had a footprint in APAC for years—with notable clients in Japan like Kawasaki Heavy Industries and ServiceNow—the appointment of dedicated managing partners in China and Japan represents a significant escalation of its commitment to the region. The goal is to provide clients with a unified sales language and framework that is globally consistent yet locally resonant.

Navigating the Complex APAC B2B Landscape

The APAC sales training market is not only growing rapidly—projected to hold over 28% of the global market share by 2026—but is also undergoing a profound transformation. Digitalization, a younger, tech-savvy buyer demographic, and intense competition are forcing companies to evolve beyond traditional sales tactics.

However, the path to success is culturally nuanced. In Japan, business culture is built on precision, trust, and long-term relationships. The consensus-driven decision-making process, known as “ringi-seido,” can be lengthy and involves multiple stakeholders. A hard-sell approach is often counterproductive; instead, patience, reliability, and demonstrating long-term value are paramount.

In China, the concept of “guanxi,” or personal connections and trust, remains central to B2B success. Face-to-face meetings and relationship-building are crucial, often taking precedence over the immediate details of a transaction. Furthermore, the market is characterized by intense “pricing stress” due to aggressive competition, requiring a sophisticated value proposition to justify margins. Both markets demand a high degree of localization, from navigating China’s unique digital ecosystem of WeChat and Baidu to respecting Japan's formal, high-context communication style.

Local Leaders, Global Vision

The selection of Kevin Sun and Tetsuro Yamamoto appears tailor-made to address these specific market dynamics. Their extensive backgrounds provide ValueSelling with immediate credibility and deep-rooted networks.

Kevin Sun brings over two decades of leadership experience within multinational organizations in China, having held roles from sales manager to general manager for companies like Sumitomo Corporation and Exxon-Mobile. His experience spans diverse industries and includes a history of developing sales teams through value-added training. Having previously worked with ValueSelling as a facilitator, he already possesses a deep understanding of the company's methodology and how to apply it within the Chinese context.

Tetsuro Yamamoto offers more than 35 years of experience in Japan’s enterprise B2B IT sector, including nearly three decades at IBM where he held multiple leadership roles. His career at global giants like Celonis and Wind River has given him a profound understanding of how to align technology solutions with customer outcomes in complex, multi-stakeholder environments, particularly within the manufacturing sector. His experience working within both Japanese and global corporate structures makes him uniquely qualified to translate a global sales framework for the intricacies of the Japanese market.

The Evolving Role of Value-Based Selling in Asia

The core of the company's offering is the ValueSelling Framework®, a methodology that trains sales professionals to compete on value rather than price. This approach focuses on deeply understanding a buyer’s business challenges and linking a proposed solution to measurable outcomes. This philosophy aligns remarkably well with current trends in the APAC B2B market.

A 2024 Forrester study on APAC buying behavior revealed that buyers increasingly prioritize value and long-term outcomes—such as reliability and ROI—over initial cost. This shift makes a structured, value-based selling approach more critical than ever.

For organizations operating in the region, this means moving beyond simple product pitches to consultative partnerships. It requires sales teams to effectively engage, qualify, and advance opportunities by demonstrating a clear and compelling link between their solution and the buyer's success. ValueSelling's expansion aims to equip sales teams with these exact skills, supported by a globally scalable system that includes AI-powered coaching and on-demand reinforcement tools. By combining a proven global methodology with the nuanced guidance of local experts, the company is positioning itself to help clients unlock growth in one of the world's most challenging and rewarding business environments.