Harry DempseyJul 8, 2026 – 9.00amWhen Yukihiro Katsuta joined Uniqlo in 2005, the clothing retailer’s founder Tadashi Yanai confided that the chances of successfully taking his brand global were perhaps “0.5 or 1 per cent”.Today Yanai is Japan’s second-richest person and Katsuta is the company’s research and development head. As Uniqlo sets its sights on conquering North America and Europe, Katsuta believes “the dream is coming true”. Sales in both territories have more than tripled since 2021.Financial TimesSubscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles