Eiji Tamura is a founder of Synergetic Consulting and leads the overall operation as Managing Director. He is an IT practitioner and engages in projects to add value by fully utilizing the insights derived from education and experience across multiple business disciplines. Eiji established Synergetic Consulting in 1998 after participating in the start-up of AT&T Solutions as the partner responsible for the Japan consulting operation. Prior to this, he was a management consulting partner with Coopers & Lybrand, Tokyo office. He was engaged in strategic IT planning, IT project management as well as business strategy and management control projects. Before joining Coopers & Lybrand he was a research engineer at Sony and Intel, developing automatic LSI design systems. During his career he has served clients in a wide variety of industries, but with emphasis in financial, pharmaceutical, manufacturing/distribution and retail industries. Originally from Tokyo, Eiji received a Bachelor of Science and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Keio University. Ashley Lye is a co-founder of Synergetic Consulting and responsible for global client support services. He has over 20 years international business experience, including seven years in the US and six years as a US expatriate in Japan. Ashley was a US consulting partner for Coopers & Lybrand, has been the Company Secretary and Chief Financial Officer of a multinational manufacturing-distribution company and has experience as an academic. He has worked in plastics and specialty chemicals industries, however the majority of his business career is in management consulting, where he has extensive experience in a number of industries. His consulting experience includes business strategy, marketing, information technology, market-entry strategies, cross-cultural management and accounting. Ashley Lye was educated in New Zealand and the United States. He holds a PhD, MBA and BMS and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in New Zealand. He is tertiary qualified in marketing, accounting, information systems and international business. Ashley has conducted business seminars and training in the US, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Australia.