Interview: Nick Pearson, CIO, Ricoh Europe | Computer Weekly

"We're going through a seismic change that pivots Ricoh from a device and manufacturing company - an asset-based firm - into a services organisation. That shift on all levels - the way people think, the way we build systems, the way we sell, the way we operate, and the way we deliver - is energising. And that change is occurring against the backdrop of everything happening in the wider technology space."

"Tokyo-listed Ricoh employs close to 80,000 people globally across three core divisions: Japan and Asia-Pacific, EMEA and North America. The European division employs about 17,000 people and boasts annual revenues of more than £3bn. For me, it's a nice opportunity in a chunky organisation."

"One element of the loosely coupled relationship with the Japan headquarters is that the company doesn't have a global IT organisation. Pearson is part of a board in Japan that governs technology and creates a strategy across North America, Europe and Japan. This IT leadership approach was one of the major attractions of the role."

Nick Pearson joined Ricoh Europe as CIO in December 2023, bringing extensive experience from senior technology roles at Vodafone, RS Group, and PepsiCo. Ricoh, a Tokyo-listed company with approximately 80,000 employees globally, operates across three divisions: Japan and Asia-Pacific, EMEA, and North America. The European division alone employs 17,000 people with annual revenues exceeding £3 billion. Pearson describes his role as energizing, as he leads a significant business transformation pivoting Ricoh from an asset-based device manufacturing company to a services organization. Operating within a federated structure loosely coupled to Tokyo headquarters, Ricoh lacks a traditional global IT organization. Instead, Pearson participates in a Japan-based board governing technology strategy across all three regions, representing a unique leadership approach that attracted him to the position.

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