ast shows, panel discussions, performances and workshops.  Fender’s APAC president Edward “Bud” Cole told Inside Retail that Tokyo is the perfect location for the iconic guitar brand’s first flagship store. “By 2030, Asia Pacific is expected to be the largest music market in the world. It’s a super dynamic region with many unique and complementary cultures. There is a lot of openness between countries, and each country has its unique musical identity too,” he explained. Cole has plenty of experience in the region. He was previously president of Ralph Lauren’s operations in Japan before joining Fender back in 2014. Prior to that, he was president of LVMH’s DFS group in Japan and a commercial director at Pernod Ricard. “Back in 2014, I left my job as president of Ralph Lauren in Japan, which was their second largest market in the world outside of the US, and came to join Fender. I’ve been a musician all my life, and I was brought in to reinvision its business in APAC,” he said. He created the company’s head office in Japan, and took control over the distribution network in Japan and Australia, through smart supply chain management, returned the business to profitability . A melting pot According to Cole, Japan is a very advanced market, with a long history of musical influences from the US, but the Korean and Chinese music industry is also growing and expanding at an exponential rate. “You’ve got amazing markets like Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, which bring incredible opportunities and the intermingling of different musical genres also showcases the diverse pool of musical talents. Its creativity is at another level,” Cole elaborated. Fender has a strong presence in many Asia Pacific countries, as it has signed up most of the top artists and musicians across the region. As far as Cole is concerned, “artist adoption or player adoption in any market equals market share.” “If we add structure, support and investment into these initiatives, we’re going to put the number one brand of electric bass, electric guitars and amps in the hands of these players, and they will be the tip of the spear for creativity in this region,” he said. Cole declined to share financial numbers, citing the fact that Fender is a private company, but he did reveal that the APAC region is the fastest growing market for the brand. He expects it will continue to be a “very important and very profitable region” for the brand. The vision “Our mission is to support players at every stage of their musical journey. From the rock stars, to the guys and girls in the studio, to the millions of people who just play the guitar as a hobby, Fender is in it to grow the entire industry as a whole,” he explained. A good example of this is Fender Next, an artist development program designed to elevate rising musicians that are pushing guitar forward in music and culture. This year’s Fender Next class includes 25 rising artists from North America, Australia, Europe, Asia and  Latin America that span genres, generations, genders and backgrounds, each elevating guitar in their respective communities “We’re really proud to be part of developing artists throughout their entire careers. We love music, and we know it makes a difference. A guitar enthusiast will buy an average of 10 to 12 guitars in their lives, so their lifetime value also grows exponentially,” he added. No limits The APAC market is now front and centre of Fender’s focus. Business has grown exponentially in every single country, and it is just the “tip of the spear”, according to Cole. Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Vietnam, China, Japan, Korea and Australia are his top priorities right now. “We are totally committed to our online platform at Fender.com, expanding into China with JD.com and Tmall. Our Fender Play educational platform and recent acquisition of PreSonus is testament to our digital focus for music enthusiasts,” he stated. Cole reiterated that the company is embracing digital creators, with products like Acoustasonic guitars blending and blurring the lines between acoustic and electric guitars.  “When Leo Fender started this company, he once said, ‘Artists are angels, and it is our job to give them wings to fly, at every stage of their musical journey.’ That’s what we are trying to do. Spend time learning and mastering guitars, the difference it makes in one’s life is profound,” he concluded.