PROFILE

Born in August 1974 in Honduras, Shinji Hasegawa is the son of a Japanese diplomat. His childhood was shaped by a life of constant travel, growing up across Japan, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Uruguay, and the Canary Islands of Spain.

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In Spain, Shinji played competitive tennis, but his true passion was art. He later moved to Northern California, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Advertising Design from the Academy of Art University.

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In 1998, Shinji gained recognition by winning the Academy’s Spring Show. Soon after, his professional career took off as an art director at agencies including McCann-Erickson, where he worked on major accounts such as Del Monte and Nestlé.

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At the height of the economic downturn, Shinji founded his own creative agency, Furnace, Inc. In 2009, his work earned him a prestigious Clio Award. He went on to work with brands and companies including YAMAHA and HCLS, one of Japan’s largest translation companies.

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Eventually, Shinji moved to Tokyo and began working as an independent creative professional. In 2017, he was invited to join ADK as a Creative Director, where his bilingual background allowed him to work on global brands and international campaigns.

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In 2023, Shinji self-published his book, 5 YEARS OF BEING JAPANESE. He has continued to work across motion pictures, advertising, and design while pursuing his curiosity for food and experimenting in his own kitchen.

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In February 2026, Shinji graduated from Tokyo Sushi Academy, adding professional sushi training to his creative background. The following month, he joined McCann Worldgroup as a Creative Director, where he was appointed to lead a Mastercard project.

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Today, Shinji continues to take on freelance creative projects around the world, bringing together decades of experience in advertising, design, filmmaking, and culinary arts.