In the Corporate Planning Office, I handle the typical duties you’d expect – budget planning, budget management, and streamlining internal processes. But there’s another aspect that’s unique to COVER. For large-scale projects where collaboration across divisions is essential, the Corporate Planning Office plays a hands-on role in project management. 

For large-scale projects, a wide range of teams get involved – not just the talents and their managers, but also the Music and Live Event Business Department, the Creative Production Department, and more. The Corporate Planning Office supports communication across these divisions, making sure schedules are aligned, reaching out to the necessary teams in advance, and keeping preparations on track. In short, the office plays a key role in ensuring projects run smoothly.

I often find myself working on international projects, taking on a project management role that involves coordinating across divisions and bringing together different countries. With a major overseas project coming up this year, my days are both busy and fulfilling. 

Talents are essential to COVER. I don’t often interact with them directly, but I do create communication materials for them. What’s most important is keeping the talents’ perspective in mind – what benefits it brings to them and how it supports their activities. Keeping that mindset is really important. 

We also can’t forget about delivering new experiences to our fans. It’s these two pillars – supporting talents and engaging fans – that make the work of the Corporate Planning Office more than just managing numbers. We play a meaningful role at the core of the business. Take a single live event, for example. It brings together many different teams, from music and live events to creative and talent management. Our role is to take a step back, look at the bigger picture, and coordinate across all of them.

I’m originally from Portugal, and I grew up playing basketball. That led me to discover a hugely popular Japanese basketball manga, which got me hooked. I started thinking, “I’d love to see Japanese basketball for myself,” and during high school, I spent a year in Hyogo Prefecture as an exchange student. That experience was a real turning point for me.  

After returning to Portugal, I went on to study Industrial Engineering at the University of Porto. The program was quite close to mechanical engineering, so for a while I thought, “Maybe I’ll end up working in a factory.” But since I also spoke Japanese, I decided to take a break during my third and fourth years to return to Japan for an internship at a factory. That experience made me realize that “Maybe building a career in Japan could be a real option for me.”

About three months before returning home, I began applying to Japanese companies and in 2016 received an offer from McKinsey & Company Japan. At the time, Japanese firms weren’t as international as they are today, so I felt a global consulting firm would be a better fit. I joined in 2017 and spent about seven years there. 

At McKinsey, I was involved in a wide range of projects, from large-scale structural transformation initiatives to short-term strategy planning and M&A due diligence. I also took time to study abroad for my MBA, which made the experience even more fulfilling. 

 I joined COVER in April 2025 for two main reasons. First, I wanted to take ownership of the entire process – from developing strategies to execution and seeing the results. As a consultant, you rarely get the chance to follow the execution and outcomes as your own responsibilities. Over time, I started to feel that something was missing. 

The second reason was that I wanted to work in a field where I could genuinely feel passionate. During my time in consulting, I was exposed to many different industries. But when I asked myself where I’d want to devote the next ten years of my life, I reflected on what first brought me to Japan—and realized that my roots were in entertainment. That’s when I knew I wanted to take on the challenge of working in the entertainment industry, which ultimately led me to make the move.

The most significant factor was the excitement of being part of an industry that’s still in its growth phase. On a personal level, I was already watching streams, which gave me an extra connection. The VTuber business today is very much in the process of being shaped as a “new industry.” And because it’s still so young, there are many moments where we have to build the rules and frameworks ourselves. Having the opportunity to help shape the direction of the industry is incredibly exciting as a business professional. 

On top of that, it is fun to watch. It was the combination of those two things that made me feel, “Now is the perfect time to take on the challenge.” 

It was a company with the power to bring VTubers into the wider world.

For me, the mission of a VTuber agency is to expand the spaces where VTubers can shine in society. It’s not enough to simply provide a platform and have a talent stream – the real challenge is finding ways to raise the social value of VTubers and create more opportunities for them. 

What stood out to me about COVER is that it goes beyond the role of a traditional talent agency. The company actively invests in areas like live events and card games, helping push VTubers into greater recognition in society. That approach resonated deeply with me and aligned firmly with my own aspirations. 

Think about American comic heroes. They were once known only to a niche group of comic enthusiasts, but with investments in movies and collaborations, they’ve become characters everyone recognizes today. I see VTubers in a similar way – streaming alone can only reach existing fans. To move beyond that and become part of the mainstream culture, dedicated efforts are needed. And COVER is the best positioned to make that happen. 

Absolutely. Project management is one area, and quantitative analysis is another. Back in consulting, many of my clients were in heavy industry, so I often had to get creative with analysis using only limited data. At COVER, on the other hand, we have well-structured databases with extensive numbers, which gives us far more freedom and flexibility in how we analyze them. 

Another advantage of my consulting background is the exposure I had to so many different companies, which allowed me to build up a wealth of knowledge on “best practices” across processes. Because of that, it’s easier for me to assess what can be improved to drive better results. That kind of business insight has definitely been a real asset in my current role. 

In terms of market potential, even before joining, I believed there was plenty of room for growth—and that view hasn’t changed. But once I stepped inside the industry, I realized that actual growth requires us to step forward and take the lead ourselves. In that sense, my commitment has grown deeper. 

To elaborate further, what I really came to realize is the importance of helping talented individuals achieve their dreams. Back in consulting, it was normal to make decisions based on numbers in an Excel sheet. But talents are not just rows on a spreadsheet – they’re real people. The real challenge is finding ways to solve the issues they face and creating opportunities where they can thrive. Supporting their motivation so they can keep running toward their dreams—that, I’ve realized, is the true key to success. 

 I believe growth has two aspects. The first is within communities that are already deeply passionate, such as those centered around anime and gaming. These areas tend to expand naturally, and we’re working to build on that momentum through events and other initiatives. 

The other aspect is mass recognition. This remains a big challenge, as there’s still a strong perception of VTubers as simply “anime characters talking on screen.” For VTubers to reach a wider audience, we need to accelerate the process of shifting that image – from something unfamiliar to something that feels natural. 

Global expansion is another important factor. The U.S. market is starting to take off, but there’s still tremendous potential across Asia. We’ve already built a presence in Indonesia, but there are many regions – such as Thailand and India – where we should be focusing more. I believe the next stage of growth is making VTubers something people come across naturally in their everyday lives, and I see COVER as having a real strength in achieving that.

Rather than a specific project, I have a clear vision of what I’d like to achieve. I return to my home country about once every two years, and one day, I’d love to get on a train and see the person sitting next to me casually watching a VTuber’s livestream. That’s the kind of world I want to help create. 

For that to happen, VTubers need to stand on the same stage as artists and singers. Of course, developing content for existing fans is essential, but I want to support the challenge of reaching the mass market, especially on a global scale.

Exactly. I want to help create a world where global singers and VTubers can perform together on stage, and the audience embraces it as something completely natural. It might be ten or twenty years in the future, but I also believe it could happen much sooner. That’s because the potential of VTubers goes far beyond entertainment itself.

In the past, an artist’s or idol’s popularity often depended on things like appearance, background, or connections. VTubers, on the other hand, can captivate millions simply through their avatars, their voices, and their unique personalities. To me, that sends a powerful social message: with your own talent, you can reach the world. 

From what I’ve seen, in many parts of Europe and the U.S., careers are often shaped by family background or personal connections. In that context, VTubers send an important message that you can make it on your own talent and reach this level by yourself. 

That’s why I want more people to experience the appeal of VTubers. I believe there are many, both in Japan and abroad, who would resonate with that message. My goal is to take on the challenge of accelerating that reach.

Wow, that’s a tough one. But I’d say “creating a new normal.” A world where watching VTuber streams or live concerts is part of everyday life, and where it feels completely natural to see people on trains or buses around the globe enjoying VTubers. I believe that’s exactly the future COVER is working toward right now. 

What really made me happy was discovering that, even in a corporate planning role, people genuinely want to hear my thoughts on content. Before joining, I assumed most of my work would be focused on budget and cost management, but once I was here, I found myself in conversations with talent managers who would ask, “What do you think, Alexandre?” Of course, I don’t have the final say, but when I share ideas like, “Wouldn’t it be fun if we tried this kind of project?” they actually listen. That’s been incredibly rewarding. I believe anyone who joins COVER will naturally bring their own ideas and passion for content, and what makes this place special is the culture of welcoming and embracing those ideas.

What surprised me most was the speed and execution. When someone outside the company says, “We’d love to work together,” I’ll bring it up internally—and just three days later, the decision is made: “Let’s do it.” In most places, that kind of conversation would end as small talk, but here it quickly turns into real business. The speed at which ideas move into action always impresses me. At the large corporations I worked with before, any new initiative would take two or three months to get through approval. Compared to that, COVER has a culture that thrives on embracing challenges, and that’s one of its biggest attractions. 

Definitely. It’s a very flat organization.


When I first joined, I was surprised to see junior employees directly messaging department heads on our internal chat tools as if it were the most natural thing. In my previous work with large corporations, meeting someone at that level always felt intimidating. But here at COVER, even first- or second-year employees can engage in real discussions with senior leaders, bringing their own opinions. It’s an environment where young members are trusted to take responsibility, and that’s incredibly motivating. Of course, part of it comes from being in a rapidly growing organization, but for those who enjoy that speed, it’s an enriching place to be. 

Across the company as a whole, I’d say it comes down to having a passion for content. That passion directly impacts both motivation and the quality of work. 

For the Corporate Planning Office specifically, ownership and communication skills are essential. It’s not about waiting for instructions from your manager – it’s about thinking for yourself and taking initiative. And just as importantly, you need to enjoy working with other teams, discussing ideas, and moving things forward together. Most of our day is spent in conversation, shaping and refining ideas side by side.  


Skills can always be learned after joining. What really matters is having the mindset to keep learning. I often come across tasks where I think, “Is this really my responsibility?” But each time, I take it with the mindset of starting from scratch. I believe the people who can enjoy that kind of challenge with flexibility are the ones who truly thrive here.

If you have a passion for content, I truly encourage you to give it a try. You don’t need to have specialized knowledge from the start – if you have a passion, you’ll be able to learn everything once you’re here.

This industry is constantly evolving, so with a willingness to learn and the courage to take on new challenges, you’re bound to grow. I hope you’ll take that first step with confidence.