Gerhard Fourie is a South African who is on a five-year working stint in Japan as the senior manager for brand and communication for global overseas markets at Nissan Motor Company. Fourie’s responsibilities cover markets across South America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Before his transfer to Tokyo in January 2008, he was the GM for marketing and planning at Nissan South Africa. Email him at {{gerhard@mail.nissan.co.jp}}. For more about Brands & Branding, go to {{www.brandsandbranding.co.za}} or email {{lynn@brandsandbranding.co.za}}, as well as the Brands & Branding for Good conference website, {{www.brandsandbrandingconference.co.za}}, which will include a major focus on brand relationships with increasingly socially and environmentally ‘aware’ consumers’.