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English MBA Reunion 2023

October 8th, 2023|Community Stories
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English MBA Reunion 2023 - Alumni gather to learn the latest management techniques and affirm each other's growth and aspirations.

On October 8th (Sunday), the English MBA held its second reunion at GLOBIS Graduate School of Management, Tokyo Campus. Approximately 160 graduates from all over Japan and overseas participated both in-person and online, representing almost every class of English MBA graduates since the start of the program in 2009. Participants learned about the latest research themes from GLOBIS Faculty and engaged in discussions with other graduates to confirm each other’s growth and goals.

[English MBA Reunion 2023 Overview]

The reunion meets the three core educational philosophies of GLOBIS – “competency development”, “aspiration”, and “personal network building”. It is an event where cohorts gather on campus every five years to interact, confirm each other’s growth, and learn together just like during their time as students. The reunion offered the following four opportunities:

  • A chance to understand GLOBIS approach after graduation and its aim to become the world’s No.1 MBA in the Technovate era.
  • An opportunity to learn about the latest research themes and curricula at GLOBIS through faculty-led sessions.
  • A platform for graduates active on the front lines of business to discuss topics of interest.
  • A place to rekindle old friendships and affirm each other’s growth.
Opening Plenary Session

The landscape of education is changing rapidly, driven by technology and learners who need skill development faster than ever. GLOBIS aims to be at the forefront of this revolution, making learning experiences even better through GLOBIS Unlimited, nano-MBA, and more. GLOBIS Digital Platforms Director of Product, Alex Scharf explained how the world’s most innovative MBA is leading the future of learning worldwide.

Faculty Workshops

Happy employees are known to enhance productivity by 1.3 times and boost creativity threefold. However, the growing presence of AI and robotics in workplaces brings new challenges to employees’ well-being. The latest research reveals that these new technologies can diminish their self-worth and human connections, affecting both their mental and physical health. As society embraces a future with AI and robots, GLOBIS faculty member Dr. Tadahiro Wakasugi shared with the audience the knowledge and insights that will help the and their organizations flourish.

 

At the heart of GLOBIS philosophy is ”kokorozashi”—the art of leading with a purposeful personal mission. In his workshop, Deputy Dean and GLOBIS faculty member Dr. Jorge Calvo guided the audience on how to synergize their kokorozashi with the game-changing potential of Generative AI. The aim is a brand of leadership that is effective, ethically sound, and sustainable in our complex world.

Alumni Panels

Social Entrepreneurs from GLOBIS: Uncovering the Realities of Business for Good

This panel featured three Social Entrepreneurs from GLOBIS whose ambitious endeavors are to run profitable businesses while significantly impacting society. The panelists shared their real-life experiences on how they make these dual goals a reality every day. Participants discovered the hurdles and rewarding wins that lie in their path, and gained insight into how they can effectively navigate stakeholder relations and better understand the unique realm of social entrepreneurship.

 

Moderator

Suzuka Kobayakawa

GLOBIS University Faculty Member

Panelists

Joshua Caampued (FT MBA 2017)

Co-Founder, EcoNest Philippines

Kenji Inukai (FT MBA 2017)

Senior Project Manager, Amazon Japan

Director, The Paper Project, Inc.

Micheal McKay (PTOL MBA 2020)

Co-Founder, Beebee+Bongo

Country Director, 17 Triggers

How to Grow and Lead in the Corporate World: Exploring Success as a Corporate Executive with GLOBIS Alumni

Panelists shared personal experiences of overcoming hurdles, implementing changes, motivating their teams, and how these experiences nurtured their growth. They explored what has played a critical role in amplifying their leadership capabilities, including handling relationships between regional offices and global headquarters.

Moderator

Darren Menabney

Lead, Global Employee Engagement, Ricoh Company, Ltd.

GLOBIS University Faculty Member

Panelists

Andrew Badham (PTOL MBA 2013)

CFO APAC, Match Group

Nanae Obara (PTOL MBA 2009)

Chief Marketing Office, AXA General Insurance

Bradley Ford (PTOL MBA 2013)

General Director – CIS & Global Process Optimisation Solution Leader, KBC (A Yokogawa Company)

Alumni Roundtables

The reunion hosted four alumni-led group sessions in which participants actively participated in discussions led by alumni speakers.

Business opportunities and challenges in decarbonization and carbon-neutral practices

Hiro Chai (PTOL MBA 2016)

Bursa Carbon Exchange, Head of Business Development & Sales

Aaron Lau (PTOL MBA 2018)

AITLAU Management Services, Head of Forensic Investigation, AML Compliance and Business Transformation

Willy Dawson Liusan (FT MBA 2020)

ALAM BALI MANDIRI (BALI, INDONESIA), Director

This session focused on various aspects of carbon trading including an overview of carbon markets in Asia and Japan, strategies to measure and mitigate carbon emissions for companies, and how sustainability-focused companies can prosper from carbon trading. The session had a collaborative group discussion on the potential benefits of carbon trading and decarbonizing for participants’ own organizations or fields of work.

Maintaining Your Personal Market Value for the Next Decade ~ Embracing Generative AI as a General-Purpose Technology ~

Kenji Kawamura (PTOL MBA 2018)

Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Manager, AI & Big Data, Data Digital & Technology

The session encouraged an enhanced understanding of Chat GPT and other generative AI technologies, their potential impacts on various industries, and strategies for maintaining individual market value amidst emerging technologies. It also included group activities centered around exploring the impact on work dynamics and possible opportunities in the participants’ own line of work.

Globalization of a Japanese Company & Being an Agent for Change

Josephine Florendo (FT MBA 2019)

Sr. Global HR Specialist , Yokogawa Electric Corporation

This session focused on questions such as what challenges Japanese companies face during globalization and how they can make lasting changes to resolve these issues. Utilizing Kotter’s 8-Step Framework, the speaker described effectual strategies for implementing sustainable changes, exemplified in a mini-case study of Yokogawa’s HR-driven Global Transformation. Participants worked in groups to apply this change model or come up with their own framework to real-world scenarios.

Decluttering Your Work and Workplace with the KonMari Method®

Mihoko Suzuki (PTOL MBA 2021)

KMJ, Inc., Community Director

The session brought by GLOBIS Alumni Award winning alumni Mihoko Suzuki provided insight into how the KonMari Method® can transform workspaces and workstyles, discussing the potential impact of a cluttered environment on business performance. Personal challenges with tidying and office environments were explored, followed by an introduction to basic rules of tidying, encouraging participants to imagine and discuss together their ideal work style and how they can enhance productivity and workplace satisfaction.

President Session

The final session was the “President Session”, where the graduate moderators, Mr. Tomohiko Choraku (PTOL MBA 2020) and Ms. Hahn-ey Lee (PTOL MBA 2020), posed questions collected from the audience to President Hori. President Hori and the graduates exchanged various opinions on topics such as ambition, knowledge, and networking. Many questions were posed, and President Hori expressed his views on each one as a manager, reminding alumni of similar sessions during their MBA to discourse with President Hori.

Closing

Beyond the educational sessions, the networking lunch and reception party at the Reunion provided a platform for alumni to reconnect with former classmates and establish new relationships, fostering alumni network growth.

 

GLOBIS University is committed to supporting alumni with lifelong learning opportunities such as the Reunion. Grounded in GLOBIS principles, the Reunion not only facilitated continuous learning but also allowed alumni to immerse themselves in the benefits of being part of the dynamic and engaged GLOBIS community.

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