Alumni

Tomohiro Kuwabara

Nationality:
  • Japan
Program year:
  • 2018
Residence:
  • Japan
Occupation:
  • Deputy Director, Japan International Cooperation Agency
What made you choose the GLOBIS MBA?

“The vision and mission conveyed by GLOBIS Founder and President Yoshito Hori made me choose this school. I really liked his idea of “creating a better society through business,” mentioned in one of his books. This strongly resonated with my values, and I became increasingly confident that GLOBIS was the ideal place for me to study, get out of my comfort zone, and expand my network.

I was also looking for a business school with strong expertise in innovation, as I wanted to enhance my knowledge and skills in this specific area.”

How was your experience with the business school exchange program?

I participated in the exchange program with CEIBS. We studied hard during the daytime and explored Shanghai at night. But the most memorable experience was visiting an entrepreneur who was also a CEIBS alumnus. He’d had a promising future in his previous job, but abandoned that career to pursue his personal mission. It was a risk that paid off, and I found his story really inspiring.

In retrospect, what were the most beneficial courses at GLOBIS and why?

“The courses that I found most beneficial were Strategy, Power and Influence, Venture Business Planning, and Business Presentation.

Strategy provided me with a holistic view of what matters for a strong strategy.

Power and Influence equipped me with the ability to assess and mobilize the power of others toward a business initiative.

Venture Business Planning gave me the frameworks for crafting business plans and appealing to investors.

Business Presentation enabled me to organize my thoughts better, clearly communicate my message to an audience, and emphasize the call to action.”

How did GLOBIS help you achieve personal and professional changes?

“My performance evaluation at work has completely changed since my enrollment at GLOBIS University. I used to stay inside the lines of my position, but now I consistently surpass the expectations for my job title.

Recently, I received a JICA’s president award for leading a project transforming our flagship assistance scheme, which enables Japanese firms to solve social and/or environmental problems in emerging countries.

GLOBIS courses helped my decision-making and communication with internal and external stakeholders on a daily basis.”