Alumni Stories of Success
Kenji Nawa
MBA 2000
Sr. Vice President of Business Development, Bioprincipia, Inc.
The quarter-century since I graduated as a member of the Class of 2000 has truly flown by. During this time, I have worked in the medical device and life sciences sectors in Japan (8 years), China (2 years), and the United States (15 years).
I am currently engaged in new business development at a local company in Georgia, USA, specializing in biotechnology-based businesses. I am grateful to be in an environment where I can pursue exciting opportunities—bringing innovative technologies from Japan to the U.S. market, as well as launching startups based on outstanding technologies developed in the United States.
The mindset I developed at ICS remains one of my most valuable assets. The importance of continuous learning, the value of hands-on experience and putting theory into practice in the real world, and the habit of learning from our own experiences and applying those lessons to future endeavors—these principles continue to shape the way I approach my work today. In the emerging AI era, I believe that the ICS model—characterized by small-group, in-depth learning that integrates theory and practice—is more valuable than ever. I feel that this approach provides a strong and lasting foundation for an individual's professional career.
Much like the ICS logo, I intend to continue looking ahead and, in my own way, live out the ICS mission of achieving the “Best of Two Worlds.”
-png.png?width=1069&height=1400&name=image%20(7)-png.png)
Lavi Peñaverde
MBA 2001
Chief Learning Enabler, Opus Ad Lucem Inc.
Looking back, I realize that my career has been less about following a predetermined path and more about continually discovering what matters.
Hitotsubashi ICS was an important launchpad for that journey. More than the knowledge and perspectives I gained, ICS gave me a global community that expanded my sense of what leadership could mean. Its diverse, international spirit continues to inspire me—the reminder that wherever we come from, we can create positive impact wherever we are.
That belief has shaped my work as Chief Learning Enabler of my human capital development company, Opus Ad Lucem Inc., where I have spent more than a decade helping people and organizations learn, lead, and create meaningful impact.
Today, my work sits at the intersection of Passion, Purpose, and Possibilities. I explore Human Intelligence × Artificial Intelligence, asking not only how AI can transform the way we work, but how we can ensure that we remain deeply human as we navigate that transformation.
My guiding principle has become simple: Do What Matters. At this stage of my journey, I think increasingly about legacy—not simply what I accomplish, but what I awaken in others. And perhaps that is the greatest possibility of all: to keep learning, keep contributing, and keep becoming. Because I am not finished. I am still becoming.
Mart Khaltarpurev
MBA 2002
Principal Procurement Specialist, Asian Development Bank
Graduating from Hitotsubashi ICS in 2003 was an important milestone that connected my technical background with a broader perspective on strategy, leadership, and organizational transformation. After ICS, I returned to the Government of Mongolia, where I helped establish and strengthen the country’s public procurement system. I later became Director General of the Procurement Policy and Coordination Department at the Ministry of Finance, working to make public procurement more transparent, effective, and responsive to the country’s development needs.
In 2007, I joined the Asian Development Bank, expanding my work across Asia and the Pacific. Over the years, I have supported governments through procurement advisory services, portfolio management, project implementation, policy dialogue, and institutional capacity development. I progressed from Procurement Specialist to Principal Procurement Specialist and regional procurement lead, working across diverse countries and sectors.
Today, I lead procurement policy and technical support for ADB’s finance, public sector management, and governance operations. Throughout my career, my focus has remained the same: helping governments translate sound policy into stronger institutions and better development outcomes.
-jpg.jpeg?width=650&height=1117&name=Mission%20in%20Erevan%20(1)-jpg.jpeg)
Pablo Garro
MBA 2003
Director, Fulfillment Transformation Portfolio Management, Walmart US eCommerce
I came to ICS as an industrial engineer from Costa Rica. I left with a skill I have relied on ever since: working across worlds, whether cultures, business functions, or the distance between strategy and execution.
My Walmart career began in 2011 with Walmart International. In Chile, I helped integrate merchandising, supply chain, operations, and finance systems across 328 stores and eight distribution centers. In Mexico, I planned and executed the divestitures of the restaurant and banking businesses. I then moved to Walmart's US business in Bentonville. There I took a multi-billion-dollar supply chain automation program from inception to pilot, orchestrated the hiring of more than 50,000 associates during the COVID-19 pandemic, and built the governance behind a $1.8 billion store transformation portfolio and a new AI Council.
Today I lead portfolio management for Walmart US eCommerce Fulfillment Transformation, steering ten pillars of work that range from store fulfillment to drone delivery.
The thread through all of it is the "Best of Two Worlds." Large transformations succeed when someone can translate strategy into action people on the ground can take, and carry what they learn back to leadership. ICS, and my time in Tokyo, is where I learned to be that bridge.
Daniel Pain
MBA 2005
Delivery Lead Associate Director, Accenture
Since graduating from Hitotsubashi ICS, my career has taken me across countries, cultures and industries, but a consistent theme has been helping organisations and people navigate complex transformation.
I have built my career in management and technology consulting with Accenture, where I now work as a Delivery Lead Associate Director. Much of my work has focused on large-scale transformation in the utilities sector, leading multidisciplinary teams across business, technology and delivery. My experience has ranged from major Australian utility programmes to international engagements in Asia, including my current work leading Kraken Meter to Cash at Essential Energy (NSW, Australia) and my next role supporting Oracle transformation at CLP Holdings (Hong Kong).
Looking back, the ICS philosophy of achieving the “Best of Two Worlds” has remained particularly relevant. Working across diverse teams has taught me that successful transformation is rarely just about technology.
It requires bringing together different perspectives, understanding cultural and organisational context, and creating an environment where people can work towards a shared outcome. ICS helped strengthen my ability to operate across those boundaries and to be comfortable with complexity. More than two decades after graduating, I continue to value that perspective as I take on new challenges, including exploring how AI can reshape the way large transformation programmes are delivered.
Vinh Gia Vu
MBA 2006
Head of Client Coverage, Maybank Vietnam
After graduating from Hitotsubashi ICS in 2006, I wanted to build my career in Vietnam in a role that would give me broad exposure across industries. Investment banking proved to be a great fit. At Nomura, I worked on M&A transactions that helped foreign strategic investors enter Vietnam, gaining a close view of companies, industries, and growth opportunities.
Later, as Head of Investment Banking in Vietnam at Maybank Securities, I built local teams in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and introduced new product offerings to the market. Today, as Head of Client Coverage at Maybank Vietnam, I work across Global Banking to support regional companies entering Vietnam and Vietnamese corporates growing at home and abroad. Throughout my career, the focus has remained consistent: helping businesses identify opportunities and secure the strategic and financial support needed for growth.
Myra Basic
MBA 2006
Product Manager, Renewable Energy & Sustainability, BlueScope
Inspired by her time at ICS Hitotsubashi, Myra transitioned into a career defined by innovation and impact. The Innovation and Strategy courses, combined with the immersive experience of studying in Japan and the global ICS network, sparked her passion for transformative thinking.
After ICS, she became an Innovation Manager, delivering international award-winning solutions in aged care and property development.
Today, Myra is applying these same innovation and strategy skills to sustainability at BlueScope, Australia’s leading steel manufacturer. Her work focuses on renewable energy, climate action, and social impact initiatives that aim to create a more sustainable future. Myra credits ICS for equipping her with the strategic mindset, global perspective, and innovation capabilities that continue to guide her journey and drive meaningful change.
Mariseth Ferring
MBA 2006
Senior Engineering Program Manager, Apple
After graduating from Hitotsubashi ICS, I joined Apple in 2007, working on bringing productivity software to global markets. I then spent two years at Google, first working on digital advertising technologies and later helping expand Google Assistant to international markets. I returned to Apple in 2024 as a Senior Engineering Program Manager working on infrastructure for Apple Intelligence.
I came to ICS with a background in technology, but the MBA broadened how I thought about the industry—adding business strategy and a global perspective to my technical experience. Learning alongside classmates from different countries and industries also challenged my assumptions and made me a more thoughtful listener and collaborator.
Looking back, my career has evolved from helping technology reach more people around the world to building the platforms that enable a new generation of technology to scale.
What I learned at ICS continues to shape how I work—connecting technology to its broader
business and market context, understanding the people and organizations behind it, drawing together different perspectives, and remaining curious enough to keep learning.
Wojciech Babski
MBA 2007
Board Member, KENO Group
My MBA at Hitotsubashi ICS was an eye-opening experience, both intellectually and culturally. After graduating, I joined PwC in Zurich, advising clients in financial services, manufacturing and infrastructure, and after three years moved to PwC Poland. The concepts I had learned in class proved directly useful in consulting and helped me deepen my expertise.
After six years in consulting, I moved into chemical manufacturing, first as Sales Support Manager and later as Head of International Sales in the crop protection business, working with clients across Canada, Europe, North Africa, the CIS countries, South East Asia and Australia. The cultural flexibility I developed at ICS helped me understand clients' perspectives and build relationships that drove sales growth. In 2019, this led to my appointment as CEO of Qemetica Group's crop protection company and its international division – a EUR 150 million business with 250 employees, including a large manufacturing facility. I later complemented my MBA with executive education at INSEAD in general management, R&D strategy and AI.
Today I serve on the board of KENO Group, a renewable energy company, alongside its owner and CEO. My role is to drive international growth, develop the commercial segment and lead the adoption of AI tools that give us an edge over competitors.
Anna Lemeshkina
MBA 2007
Branding, Marketing and Communications
When I graduated from ICS, I certainly didn’t imagine the path ahead: eight years in Moscow with UNIQLO, followed by a move to Tokyo and the company’s global headquarters, and later a career spanning marketing, entrepreneurship and global communications. But somehow, one thing led to another — usually because I was curious enough to see where it might lead.
I joined UNIQLO after ICS because I wanted to learn business from the ground up. I was also fascinated by the company itself: a distinctly Japanese brand with global ambitions. Working with UNIQLO as it expanded to Moscow gave me an early opportunity to see how a Japanese business could connect with European markets. Later, moving to Tokyo and working at the global headquarters taught me the other side of that connection. It felt like a very natural extension of what I had experienced at ICS — bridging different markets, cultures and perspectives together.
From there, my career continued to evolve: from UNIQLO into marketing at Miele Japan, to building my own business, and eventually to global communications at Tokio Marine Group. Japan became an important part of my professional journey. I spent ten years there and became fascinated by how differently the same idea can be understood and implemented in different cultures. That curiosity has probably been the one constant throughout my career.
In 2024, my family and I moved to London. I’m currently taking a pause from full-time corporate work while thinking about what I’d like to do next. I don’t know exactly what the next chapter will look like, and I’m quite happy to leave some room for surprise.
Olivier Le Lann
MBA 2009
Sr. Vice President, People, LowAlt Technologies
My career has been shaped by a desire to build international technology companies that can have a tangible impact on people’s lives. After graduating from Hitotsubashi ICS, I continued working across Asia, Europe, and the United States, combining leadership in technology, people, and business development.
One of the most meaningful chapters of my career was serving as CEO of EVA, where we developed autonomous drone solutions with real-world applications. Our work included using drones to dispatch AED devices rapidly in medical emergencies, with the ambition of reducing response times and helping save lives. We also developed technologies designed to protect civilians and critical infrastructure in Eastern Europe, demonstrating how autonomous systems can contribute in highly challenging environments.
Alongside this, I have held senior leadership roles in aerospace and advanced technology companies, including supporting the rapid growth of Lilium, where more than 1,000 engineers were recruited during a major expansion phase.
Today, based in Singapore, I continue to work on ventures involving artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, drones, and new digital business models across Asia, Europe, and the United States.
ICS strongly influenced the way I approach leadership: connecting cultures, disciplines, and markets, and constantly trying to achieve the “Best of Two Worlds.”
Yuko Koshiishi
MBA 2010
SVP, Suntory Europe Limited
I began my career in marketing at the Japanese beverage company Suntory, where I spent 10 years before joining ICS. At ICS, I not only strengthened my fundamental business skills and gained a holistic management perspective, but also developed a deeper understanding of how business and society are interconnected. The concept of “Best of Two Worlds” also made me more aware of the uniqueness of Japanese corporate culture—insights that became the foundation of my post-ICS career.
After ICS, I returned to Suntory and contributed to international business development, including the integration of Beam Inc., one of the largest cross-border M&A transactions by a Japanese beverage company. I later transitioned to corporate communications in the U.S., working in New York and Chicago, and then moved into Group sustainability. In both roles, my awareness of cross-cultural business dynamics has been essential. Now based in London, I can confidently say that ICS was a pivotal turning point in my career.
Nugraheni Lintang
MBA 2013
President Director of PT. Cicombrains Inspirasi Indonesia
Ever since I was a child, I have adored Japan: its nature, its culture, and yes, its anime. That fascination was one of the reasons I chose to study there. I was fortunate to receive a scholarship for my undergraduate studies and later to pursue my MBA at ICS, a destination I had long dreamed of and carefully planned for. Remarkably, my life today is still closely tied to ICS.
After my MBA, I returned to Indonesia and started my own business in the food and beverage industry. I soon realized it was not where my passion lay. Then I met a fellow ICS alumnus who had come to Jakarta to set up a branch of a training company, and I was invited to join as Country Manager. There, I finally found my calling.
As an Indonesian who studied in Japan with the support of a Japanese company and the Japanese government, I now have the chance to give something meaningful back to both countries. I help local talent and Japanese expatriates in Indonesia perform better, grow, and succeed in their organizations. The knowledge I gained at ICS is the foundation that lets me do this work well.
ICS was not only the best school I have ever experienced. It also led me to my destiny and to the most fulfilling work of my life.
Helene Larochelle
MBA 2013
Investment Manager, Invest Victoria
Helene Larochelle is an international trade and investment professional whose career has been shaped by a passion for connecting businesses, governments, and opportunities across global markets. Having lived and worked in Canada, Japan, China, and Australia, she has built a reputation for helping organizations expand internationally, attract foreign investment, and navigate complex market environments.
In her early career in Japan, she worked in international business development for FANCL before completing her MBA at Hitotsubashi University. She subsequently took on leadership roles with the Canadian Chambers of Commerce in Japan and China, culminating in her appointment as Chief Executive Officer in Shanghai, where she strengthened commercial ties between Canada and China and led a team supporting more than 400 member companies.
After relocating to Australia, Helene successfully launched the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program across Australia and New Zealand before representing the Government of Quebec in Oceania. In that role, she supported export growth, attracted investment, led international trade missions, and helped multiple companies establish operations in Australia.
Today, as an investment manager with Invest Victoria, Helene works with companies from the Americas to facilitate foreign direct investment into Victoria, helping businesses grow while contributing to economic development, innovation, and job creation across the state.
-jpeg.jpeg?width=1350&height=1800&name=IMG_2559%20(1)-jpeg.jpeg)
Khoi Nguyen
MBA 2014
Co-founder & CEO, WeCare 247
"Care is not just a service - it's the foundation of resilient communities."
After his MBA, Khoi returned to Vietnam with a mission: to bring dignity and compassion to elder care. In 2017, he co-founded WeCare 247, a social enterprise that provides home-based care and professional training for caregivers.
Today, WeCare 247 has reached over 40,000 patients and families, while uplifting thousands of caregivers - many from marginalized backgrounds - through meaningful employment. Under his leadership, the company successfully convinced Mynavi Corporation and other Japan-based enterprises to join on board, together to create shared values. Beyond service delivery, Khoi is advocating for a cultural shift : redefining how society values aging, caregiving, and inclusive growth in one of Asia's fastest-aging countries.
JeaNe Alay
MBA 2014
Financial Advisor & Business Consultant
“What happens when someone who has spent a lifetime achieving is suddenly forced to ask what all that achievement was for?”
For most of my adult life—including the years after ICS—I lived as if there would always be more time: the next client to serve, the next project to build, the next goal to reach.
Then, in 2025, I was diagnosed with cancer. It changed my relationship with time.
There are days when I feel like a walking ticking time bomb, suddenly aware that a future I once took for granted was never guaranteed. Treatment also changed my body. Some mornings, my bones hurt so much that I need to hold on to something just to stand up.
So I learned to slow down. Slow mornings, once a luxury, became necessary. And somewhere in that slowing down, I began questioning the life I had been building. If time is uncertain, what work is worth doing? What am I rushing toward? What does success mean when simply having another ordinary morning can feel precious?
Today, I am healing and rebuilding—not trying to return to the person I was before cancer, but becoming someone more intentional about how I spend my time, energy, and life. I am still learning how to build work around the life I now want to protect. But perhaps the most important thing I am building is a life I no longer want to rush through.
Trang Nguyen
MBA 2017
Commercial Manager, Vista Global (Samsung C&T)
My journey into the finance and energy sectors began directly in the classroom at Hitotsubashi ICS. A dedicated course on the energy business sparked my interest in how capital and technology intersect to power development.
I started with internship in equity research of wind energy at Nomura Asset Management. I then joined J-POWER, spending three years in international business operations and development across Southeast Asia. Working across diverse technologies—ranging from Combined Cycle Gas Turbines (CCGT) to renewable energy—gave me first-hand experience navigating complex energy markets.
Following a family relocation to Singapore, I joined Shift Energy to lead capital-raising initiatives for Japanese biomass energy projects. Today, as Commercial Manager at Vista Global in Singapore, I oversee a portfolio of rooftop solar assets in Vietnam while driving project development and asset acquisitions across the broader Asia-Pacific region.
ICS equipped me with a holistic strategic mindset, cross-cultural agility, and the "Best of Two Worlds" perspective necessary to bridge Asian markets with global energy transitions. My time at the business school not only redefined my career path, but also gave me the core purpose and capabilities to drive sustainable energy growth across the region.
Francisco Moreno
MBA 2021
Founder, Ibarra
Watchmaker, Moreno Watch Studio
Before moving to Tokyo, I founded Ibarra, a Filipino-owned watch company that assemble timepieces locally. While the brand gained national prominence—worn by the Philippine President and serving as the official timepiece for ASEAN50 and the 30th SEA Games—the 2020 pandemic prompted a period of deep reflection. I realized that to elevate my leadership and knowledge about the craft, I needed to immerse myself in one of the world’s watchmaking capitals.
Joining Hitotsubashi ICS was transformative. Studying Knowledge Management—especially the SECI model—provided a powerful framework for understanding how tacit insight transforms into explicit innovation. In Japan, I witnessed this dynamic firsthand: master watchmakers collaborating across traditional disciplines to produce timeless art.
This immersion profoundly aligned with the Shokunin spirit—the relentless, humble pursuit of mastery. Today, this philosophy guides both the continuing evolution of Ibarra and my independent practice as a watchmaker at my studio in Tokyo. ICS taught me that learning unfolds through study, understanding, and real-world application. At the intersection of business strategy and artisanal heritage, every moment is a step in the process of becoming.
Wissarut Samutpanich
MBA 2024
Business Development, Starfish Group
Before ICS, I had spent five years working in the corporate world and had reached a crossroads. My family runs a seafood business in Thailand, and I knew I wanted to return home and take responsibility for our ready-to-eat processed seafood business. Japan has always been an important market for us, but I did not speak Japanese and knew little about the country. Studying there never felt like a real possibility until I learned about ICS.
I came to ICS with that post-graduation goal in mind. Through classes, company visits, and everyday life in Japan, I was constantly thinking about new products, ideas, and possibilities that might work back home.
Nearly a year after returning to Thailand, I am putting those ideas into practice. I am developing new products, building a new brand, showcasing it at exhibitions, and improving manufacturing lines in our existing business. It is still early, but ICS and my experience in Japan gave me the preparation and inspiration to pursue this path.
Angeline Tan
MBA 2024
General Manager, Range Pharma Sdn Bhd
Before my MBA, I worked in tech, a fast paced world quite different from where I would eventually land. Today, I am part of my in laws’ family business, Range Pharma, a livestock pharmaceutical company with a 42 year history.
I joined the family business with the ambition to build something new. Pet ownership was rising rapidly, and I saw an opportunity to create a new business for pet owners within a company that had spent more than four decades serving the livestock industry. Almost everything we had built, from R&D and production to our technical relationships, had been designed for livestock, so pursuing this opportunity meant creating new capabilities from the ground up.
Since returning, I have spent months visiting veterinary clinics and speaking directly with pet owners. From those insights, we have built two B2C pet brands, one through veterinarians and another direct to consumers, and established a dedicated veterinary sales team to bridge technical credibility with consumer reach. It is still early days, but the business is taking shape.
