What Layers Consulting does

Layers Consulting Co., Ltd. (株式会社レイヤーズ・コンサルティング) is a Japan-origin, founder-led management consulting firm established in 1983 by Hisashi Sugino (CEO, a former Arthur Andersen alumnus) and Tamotsu Nakabou (COO, a former Ota Showa Audit / EY Japan alumnus). The firm is headquartered in Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, and is registered as a Kabushiki Kaisha. It employs approximately 270 consulting professionals within an overall 251-500 employee base, and serves more than 500 corporate clients — predominantly Japanese listed companies — across manufacturing, trading, technology, and service sectors. The client roster includes Mazda, Toyota, Suntory, Konica Minolta, Komatsu, Olympus, Itochu, Sony, Stanley Electric, Tokyu Corporation, SAP Japan, and JFE Systems.

The firm delivers consulting through ten codified practice areas: new business development / business model transformation / M&A support; group and global management; governance and risk; marketing strategy and sales reform; headquarters and indirect operations reform; supply chain management; logistics reform; human resource management; BPO; and digital strategy / IT management. Underlying its engagements are proprietary Japanese-context methodologies — a four-level Strategic Workstyle Design / Workstyle Maturity Model, a Next-Generation Enterprise Value Management framework rooted in 融話 (harmonious dialogue) and SDG-driven stakeholder value creation, and a 'Super Diversity Approach' combining super designer, programmer, and producer roles for enterprise digital transformation. Technology integrations supporting these engagements include SAP S/4HANA implementations, Celonis process mining trials, AI-OCR combined with RPA, and an emerging line of AI agents for logistics indirect operations.

Layers Consulting generates revenue through project-based professional services fees on multi-year enterprise engagements, sold through a direct enterprise field-sales motion and amplified by the Kenjin Club (賢人倶楽部) executive roundtable network (a CFO club established 2011 and a business development club established 2012) plus seminars, columns, and a YouTube channel. The firm has been continuously operating for over 40 years, maintains a Privacy Mark certification (registration 25000228(02), valid 2026-01-23 to 2028-01-22), and was selected for the Forbes JAPAN WOMEN AWARD 2025 Corporate Ranking BEST40. It remains a privately held company with no disclosed parent, external institutional investment, or funding rounds, and operates primarily in Japan with no claimed global footprint beyond its domestic market.

Name

Layers Consulting

Legal name

株式会社レイヤーズ・コンサルティング

Website

https://layers.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Layers Consulting is a Tokyo-based Japanese management consulting firm founded in 1983 that serves 500+ large enterprises and listed companies across ten practice areas including supply chain, logistics, HR, governance, DX, and strategy, with approximately 270 consulting professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Management Consulting

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Management Consulting Services (541618), Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Supply Chain & Procurement Consulting (BPAHACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Operations & Process Improvement Consulting (BPAHACAB), Customer, Marketing & Sales Consulting (BPAHACAG), Change Management & Transformation Consulting (BPAHAGAC), Data, Analytics & AI Consulting (BPAHAEAF)

Keywords

• Management consulting
• Supply chain consulting
• Digital transformation consulting
• Business process outsourcing
• Enterprise strategy consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Higashi-shinagawa

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Management Consulting Services: Layers Consulting generates revenue through providing management consulting services to corporate clients. Services span across multiple domains including strategy, digital transformation, operations, HR, finance, and supply chain. The firm operates on a project-based consulting fee model, with engagements ranging from strategy formulation to implementation support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Layers Consulting is a Japanese management consulting firm that sells project-based consulting services across ten practice areas: new business development and M&A support, group and global management, governance and risk management, marketing strategy and sales reform, headquarters and indirect operations reform, supply chain management, logistics reform, human resource management, business process outsourcing, and digital/IT management. Engagements span strategy formulation through implementation support, delivered by approximately 270 consultants to 500+ primarily listed enterprise clients in Japan, with proprietary methodologies including the Workstyle Design Program, Workstyle Maturity Model, Super Diversity approach, and Next-Generation Enterprise Value Management.

Product overview

Layers Consulting is a Japanese management consulting firm offering comprehensive consulting services across 10 major practice areas. The firm provides strategic consulting for new business development, global management, governance/risk, marketing, corporate reform, supply chain, logistics (including AI agents), human resources, BPO, and digital transformation. The consulting services are delivered through specialized teams with deep expertise in each domain, serving primarily listed companies. The firm also organizes industry-specific "Kenjin Clubs" (expert clubs) for peer discussion and knowledge sharing among CFO and digital marketing executives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• New Business Development, Business Model Transformation & M&A Support (新規事業開発・ビジネスモデル変革・M&A支援) Consulting practice for new business development, business model transformation, and M&A support, including future-prediction-based growth strategy and brand strategy, sold to large Japanese enterprises seeking growth and portfolio transformation.
• Group & Global Management (グループ・グローバル経営管理) Consulting practice for group and global corporate management including ROE/ROIC management, matrix management, KGI/KPI, digital management, cash flow management, investment management, accounting/finance department reform, and accounting system restructuring, for listed enterprises operating multi-entity or multi-country structures.
• Governance & Risk Management Strengthening (ガバナンス・リスクマネジメント強化) Consulting practice for corporate governance reform, sustainability promotion, risk management, internal control, compliance strengthening, and corporate (group headquarters) reform, targeted at listed companies and large enterprises.
• Marketing Strategy & Sales Reform (マーケティング戦略・営業改革) Consulting practice for marketing strategy and sales reform including sales cost optimization, strategic pricing, digital marketing, digital sales reform, sales reskilling, and CX strategy/CRM implementation, for enterprises seeking commercial growth.
• Headquarters & Indirect Operations Reform (本社・間接業務改革) Consulting practice for headquarters and indirect operations reform covering HR/organizational reform, next-generation shared services, finance/accounting department reform, success-fee cost reduction, sales indirect operations reform, ECM/product development process reform, and procurement strategy.
• Supply Chain Management (サプライチェーンマネジメント) Consulting practice for end-to-end supply chain management including ECM/product development, MBE (Model Based Enterprise), modular design, BOM innovation, SCM digital reform, production management systems, procurement reform, S&OP/global PSI, digital factory/manufacturing IoT, product lifecycle profit management, and cost planning/cost management, for manufacturers.
• Logistics Reform (物流改革) Consulting practice for logistics reform covering KPI dashboard visualization, cross-industry logistics, company-wide logistics restructuring, logistics cost optimization, core logistics system implementation, and AI agent construction for logistics indirect operations, for enterprises with complex physical distribution.
• Human Resource Management (ヒューマンリソースマネジメント) Consulting practice for human resource management including HR strategy, personnel system reform, organizational culture reform, succession planning, talent development and reskilling, HR digital transformation, and human capital management.
• Business Process Outsourcing (ビジネスプロセスアウトソーシング) Business process outsourcing services in which Layers Consulting takes over execution of business processes for clients, typically as a downstream extension of its consulting engagements.
• Digital Strategy & IT Management (デジタル化戦略・ITマネジメント) Consulting practice for digital strategy and IT management including core system restructuring, master data integration, SAP/ERP, RPA, PMO support, IT basic concept and procurement support, information security, and FP&A DX consulting.

Quantifiable outcome

• Manufacturing client achieved 40% efficiency improvement in indirect operations
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and moderate.

• Nomura Real EstateminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 March 2026Layers Consulting participates in Nomura Real Estate's inter-company co-creation program 'Techrum' to support logistics reform initiatives. This collaboration demonstrates Layers' expertise in logistics transformation services.
• SAP JapancoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOngoing collaboration on S/4HANA implementations and digital transformation consulting. SAP provides technology platform while Layers provides consulting implementation services and methodology.
• JFE SystemsmoderateImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerJoint seminar activities and case study presentations on ERP/SAP implementations. JFE Systems presents implementation experiences while Layers provides consulting methodology.
• Horizon One Co., Ltd.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRelated company under Layers Consulting group, mentioned in privacy policy for joint use of personal information for seminar and marketing activities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCFCuWM9g36UiOGplHfS5OuQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/layers.consulting
• Instagraminstagram.com/layers_magazine

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Layers Consulting