AICI GL BAL

BETWEEN US
MEMBER
SPOTLIGHT:
KEIKO
NAGAO
BY SUSAN HESSELGRAVE
“People judge
your image
from your
etiquette, and
that’s where
they get to
know your
personality.”
An appreciation for beauty lies at the heart of Keiko Nagao’s career choices
and led her to the field of image consulting. Hers is a distinctly
Japanese understanding of beauty: a sense of the inherent grace that
can and should be expressed in all of life’s gestures. Be it in the hospitality
extended to guests or the modesty of a presence that glows rather than
demanding the spotlight, Keiko is an exemplar of this grace.
It was no surprise, then, to learn that hospitality and etiquette laid the
foundation of her career. She had 25 years of experience at Japan Airlines (JAL)
when she established her own company, Global Image Co. Ltd.
“I had been having the dream to run my own company, so that I could use
my creativity fully, for about 15 years while working at JAL. I began studying
color theory and personal color analysis on my free time. In 2006, I finally
discovered the image consulting business, which was not well known in Japan.
It was an occupation that needed superior skills in communication, etiquette,
and protocol, all of which I had cultivated for many years at JAL.”
Another important aspect of Keiko’s background is her qualification as a
Master Sommelier, obtained in 1993. She explained that for JAL, as the best
airline in the world for service, this was an obvious enhancement to the
service they could provide to their passengers.
“We invested in dining at the best Michelin-rated restaurants in Paris. Why
were they considered the best What made that experience superlative I was
able to learn the etiquette regarding wine from both perspectives, as a guest
and as a service person.
“In the years since, I’ve found that doing Wine and Dine trainings for my
corporate clients is one of the best ways to instruct people in the role of
etiquette in their social image. People judge your image from your etiquette,
and that’s where they get to know your personality.”
32 | January 2015 magazine