History buff and avid hiker Jason King sits down with us to discuss his roles and responsibilities as Senior Director, Marketing at Rakuten Symphony and more.
Tell us about your journey to Rakuten Symphony.
I was born and brought up just outside of Boston in the US. I went to Providence College in Rhode Island, where I earned degree in liberal arts and soon after that, completed my MBA in Marketing from Bentley University, back near Boston. I then began my career in an agency focused on Tech PR, which served as a proving ground for building my marketing, communication, writing and messaging skills. I would definitely recommend that people interested in marketing join agencies when they are just starting out as they give you a nice base and help you build a variety of skills.
During my decade at the agency, I worked with multiple telecom and networking companies. Following my stint there, I went on to work for a couple of enterprise and network companies, helping to build out their marketing automation systems. Finally, In 2020 I joined Altiostar, which was then acquired by Rakuten, and have felt at home ever since.
What makes Rakuten Symphony different from other places you’ve worked?
The really interesting thing about Rakuten Symphony is that it is an upstart, yet it is part of a established leader like Rakuten, which makes the company dynamic and incredibly agile. Also, this company was born out of the creation of an industry disrupting mobile network in Japan, a feat that has given Rakuten Symphony significant credibility. With us going against the status quo, it allows me, as a member of the marketing team to come up with creative ways to share our unique story within a somewhat static industry which has been doing business the same way for decades.
What are your roles and responsibilities in your current position?
Currently, I am a Senior Director within the CMO organization. I'm closely involved in digital marketing, working with product and engineering teams to build out our presence online and formulate our overall strategy on multiple external platforms. I also look after the marketing relationships with our partners, which has been an ongoing role for me over the past couple of years. This involves working closely with partners like Intel and Google Cloud, to create joint go-to-market strategies. Recently, my focus has shifted toward growing the Rakuten Cloud brand, increasing its market awareness, and promoting our newly launched website. It has been an exciting adventure so far, expanding our presence across various verticals, including both the telecom and enterprise sectors.
What has been the highlight of your time at Rakuten Symphony?
For me, there has been two clear highlights during my time here. The first was the Mobile World Congress (MWC) event in 2022, which is the biggest annual network event for our industry. It was Rakuten Symphony’s first attendance at the event and there was tremendous media interest around us. All eyes were on our leaders and their speaking sessions and it was really exciting to be at the event in person, watching us announce ourselves on the big stage.
More recently, the launch of the Rakuten Cloud brand and its website was another major highlight. After months of work in the background, alongside my team members, I felt extremely proud on launch day.
What are some hobbies you enjoy in your downtime?
My decision to pursue a degree in liberal arts was sparked by my love for history. If not for my journey in telecom in marketing, I could definitely see myself being a history professor at this point. I enjoy reading history books and listening to podcasts, with some of my favorites being “American History Tellers” and “History Daily”.
I also do enjoy many outdoor activities, like skiing in the winter and golfing or hiking during the spring or summer. Living just outside Boston, I have easy access to both the ocean as well as the mountains. So, on the weekends, I try to decompress and take my mind off work by going out with my wife and dogs, enjoying a wide range of outdoor activities. During the pandemic, my wife and I discovered Acadia National Park in Maine, an incredible coastal park with great hiking trails and amazing seafood, which has become a regular stop for us every year.
What’s next for you?
2025 promises to be an exciting year for Rakuten Symphony. As a marketing professional, this naturally means it will also be an exciting and busy year for me. I am sure that we will continue to create innovative new solutions, forge new partnerships and I am looking forward to sharing these new developments externally.
Outside work, I hope I can continue to be active and spend quality time outdoors. With everyone living increasingly sedentary lives, it has become more important than ever to take time out of our busy schedules to focus on activities we enjoy and prioritize our health.
Finally, what would you say to someone interested in joining Rakuten Symphony?
Rakuten Symphony was born out of a need to do things differently and from the beginning, our mission was to connect everyone. It is quite exciting to be part of an organization that is always forward-thinking and, like the larger Rakuten Group, is deeply committed to contributing to society by creating value through innovation and entrepreneurship. That, I feel, is a mission everyone can get behind.
