250 Akiko Karaki, Partner Head of Tokyo, Brunswick Group
Japan's Top Business Interviews Podcast By Dale Carnegie Training Tokyo Japan
Release Date: 05/30/2025
266 Evan Burkosky, Co-Founder & CEO, Kimaru AI
Japan's Top Business Interviews Podcast By Dale Carnegie Training Tokyo Japan
“Japan’s strength in rule-based processes has become its weakness in today’s information age.” “In Japan, leadership succeeds when data removes uncertainty and consensus replaces command.” “Risk is not avoided in Japan; uncertainty is — and data is the antidote.” “To lead here, map out every cause and effect until the team sees clarity in the decision.” “Leaders thrive by respecting tradition first, then carefully opening the door to innovation.” Evan Burkosky is the Founder and CEO of Kimaru, a Tokyo-based decision intelligence startup helping supply...
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265 Nate Hoernig Founder Humble Bunny
Japan's Top Business Interviews Podcast By Dale Carnegie Training Tokyo Japan
“Leaders are responsible for laying the road of brick, clearing the fog, and saying, that’s our path.” “If leaders are going to be strict on people, they must be even stricter on themselves.” “Trust isn’t built once—it rises when things go well and degrades when the company struggles.” “Ideas should begin without judgment; the mindset must be ‘how could we make it work?’” “A leader can’t just do the work for people—the role is to show the way forward.” Previously, Nate was Create Director at Nikko International. He graduated in Graphic Design from...
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264 Richard Cohen, Founder Village Cellars
Japan's Top Business Interviews Podcast By Dale Carnegie Training Tokyo Japan
"If you feel you should say something, shut up for a little while and work out what's going on." "Leadership starts with humility, respect, and the ability to listen to people." "Always avoid saying, ‘I’m bringing this in because something’s not quite right.’ That doesn’t work." "If you’re at the top, you take responsibility for just about everything that happens." "Work harder than everybody else, but let others feel instrumental in getting the job done right." Previously Richard was a Mining Engineer at Bougainville Copper Limited, an Engineer – at his Father-in-law’s...
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263 Glen Argyle, President Baxter Japan
Japan's Top Business Interviews Podcast By Dale Carnegie Training Tokyo Japan
“Leadership is the ability to bring people to somewhere they didn’t think they could go.” “If you want to do co-creation, you have to do co-creation—consistently. You can’t just turn it on and off.” “Don’t focus only on your English speakers; that creates toxic politics inside the organization.” “There’s no point being afraid of change—it’s coming anyway, so embrace it and lead from the front.” “Your people know you better than you know them. Consistency builds credibility and trust.” Previously Glen was Co-Founder of KGD International G.K.; Chief of Staff,...
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262 Hideo Goto, President Schick Japan
Japan's Top Business Interviews Podcast By Dale Carnegie Training Tokyo Japan
“Walk the talk is the most powerful way to build trust.” “Beauty grooming didn’t exist—it was a new word to reflect a new purpose.” “People didn’t see themselves in the beauty industry until they started to look in the mirror.” “Recognition isn’t just celebration—it’s about noticing the mindset, not only the results.” Previously Hideo was Country Manager, Beauty Care Japan & Korea at Henkel; General Manager of several divisions at L’Oreal in Japan & Taiwan; Product Manager at Johnson & Johnson. He has a BA from Meiji University and an MBA form...
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261 Elio Orsara, Founder Elios Locanda Italiano
Japan's Top Business Interviews Podcast By Dale Carnegie Training Tokyo Japan
1. “If my motivation is to make the best product, the money will follow as a consequence.” 2. “A leader must give up ego and put the right people in the right place—even if it risks their seat.” 3. “You have to read the atmosphere; the same person may need a different approach each time.” 4. “To be a leader, you have to suffer, take the hard way, and do the work yourself first.” 5. “If you don’t care about people, then don’t do this job—leadership is a people business.” Elio...
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260 Chris Mohler, CEO Gap Asia
Japan's Top Business Interviews Podcast By Dale Carnegie Training Tokyo Japan
“You can ask four thousand people to adjust to you, or you can adjust to them.” “If we want the stores to be successful, they need to feel heard—because their success is our success.” “When I tried to dictate ideas top-down, the organization kind of choked on it.” “Servant leadership means pushing popcorn carts, steaming clothes, and knowing everyone’s name.” “In Japan, things take longer to get moving, but when they do, they execute beautifully.” Previously Chris was CEO Gap China; CFO Gap Asia; CFO Gap China; Senior Director Of finance The Nature’s Bounty Co.;...
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259 Kasper Mejlvang, President Novo Nordisk Pharma Japan
Japan's Top Business Interviews Podcast By Dale Carnegie Training Tokyo Japan
“Most of any leader’s job is change management—setting a vision people buy into and aligning them behind it.” “I view the organisation as an inverted triangle—the frontline is at the top, and we serve them.” “You should be most concerned when your performance board is all green. Red means there’s something to learn.” “Trust in Japan isn’t optional—it’s the foundation of everything, and it can’t be rushed.” “Leadership isn’t about a role or title—it’s about helping others grow and succeed around a shared purpose.” Previously Kasper was...
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258 Duncan Harrison, Managing Director, JAC International
Japan's Top Business Interviews Podcast By Dale Carnegie Training Tokyo Japan
“In Japan, if you want performance, you need ultra-clear expectations—people need to know the goal.” “Building trust means creating a safe environment where it’s okay to make mistakes.” “Consensus-building is not optional in Japan—it’s how decisions gain traction.” “Every new joiner has lunch with me and a one-on-one at three months—connection matters.” “Leading is about inspiring, guiding, and empowering people toward a common purpose.” Previously Duncan was Executive Director-Head of Asia Hamlyn Willams; Country Manager, Robert Walters, Korea; Associate...
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257 Yvette Pang, CEO International Logistics Company
Japan's Top Business Interviews Podcast By Dale Carnegie Training Tokyo Japan
“We walk the talk—not talk the talk.” “Expect the unexpected—Japan will challenge every assumption you bring.” “The language we use programs our mindset—'we' means we’re in it together.” “Creating little leaders is more powerful than just giving orders.” “Trust here runs deeper—it's built case by case, moment by moment.” Previously Yvette was Managing Director Hong Kong and South China; National Sales Manager, Hong Kong, South and West China; Business Development And Key Account Manager, Greater China. She has a Master of Science from the University of...
info_outlinePreviously Akiko was a Commentator for Fuji TV; Co-Founder of Women In Action; Partner, Strategy &; Division Head at Japan Post; Vice-President Calyon Securities; Associate McKinsey & Company; Vice-President and Associate, General Counsel J.P. Morgan.
She graduated with a JD in Law from Tokyo University and has a Master Of Law from Columbia Law School
- “Culture is an accumulation of behaviors—what you say and do becomes the culture.”
- “If the ownership is there, it’s really easy to engage with them.”
- “Listen more than you speak—especially in Japan, silence often hides valuable insight.”
- “You can’t have a single leadership approach—it’s person by person.”
- “Deliver, manage expectations, and be transparent—that’s how you build trust.”
Akiko’s leadership approach is deeply rooted in clarity of direction, respect for individuality, and adaptive engagement. Her philosophy is shaped by diverse experiences in legal, consulting, and advisory roles, and it centres on fostering ownership within her teams. She emphasizes the importance of building a shared vision and selecting people whose strengths and motivations align with that direction. For her, engagement begins with recruiting the right individuals and then shaping an environment that supports their ownership of outcomes. Whether inheriting a team or building one from scratch, she focuses on identifying key issues, defining areas of impact, and matching people to those missions.
She acknowledges that leadership today demands flexibility, as people differ in how they want to be led—some thrive with autonomy while others need close collaboration. Her leadership style is not one-size-fits-all; instead, it’s adaptive and rooted in an appreciation of diversity—not only in personality but in professional backgrounds. Akiko credits the richness of ideas within her organization to this diversity, noting that innovation emerges from intentional dialogue across disciplines. However, she is clear that shared goals are the foundation for extracting those ideas meaningfully. Without common purpose, even diverse teams can become fragmented.
Trust-building, in her view, requires consistent delivery, expectation management, and transparency. She strives to keep her promises, communicates constraints openly, and balances optimism with realism. She views culture as the accumulation of behaviour, underscoring the importance of consistent actions and clear communication in shaping a cohesive and connected team identity. Akiko also makes intentional efforts to keep her Japan-based office plugged into the global organization by fostering English-language meetings and inter-office collaboration.
She believes that inclusion means not only being open to new ideas but actively drawing them out, especially in Japan where silence is often misread by Western leaders. Her advice for foreign leaders in Japan centres on listening more than speaking, respecting the local communication style, and recognizing that lack of feedback doesn’t imply satisfaction. For aspiring female leaders, her message is one of encouragement—step forward, trust those who support you, and don’t be deterred by fear. Her leadership is marked by resilience, clarity, and a deep commitment to enabling others to lead and succeed in their own right.
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About The Author
Dr. Greg Story, President Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training
Contact me at [email protected]
Bestselling author of “Japan Sales Mastery” (the Japanese translation is "The Eigyo" (The営業), “Japan Business Mastery” and "Japan Presentations Mastery". He has also written "How To Stop Wasting Money On Training" and the translation "Toreningu De Okane Wo Muda Ni Suru No Wa Yamemashoo" (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのは止めましょう) and his brand new book is “Japan Leadership Mastery”.
Dr. Greg Story is an international keynote speaker, an executive coach, and a thought leader in the four critical areas for business people: leadership, communication, sales and presentations. He leads the Dale Carnegie Franchise in Tokyo which traces its roots straight back to the very establishment of Dale Carnegie in Japan in 1963 by Mr. Frank Mochizuki.
He publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter
Has 6 weekly podcasts:
1. Mondays - The Leadership Japan Series,
2. Tuesdays – The Presentations Japan Series
Every second Tuesday - ビジネス達人の教え
3. Wednesdays - The Sales Japan Series
4. Thursdays – The Leadership Japan Series
Also every second Thursday - ビジネスプロポッドキャスト
5. Fridays - The Japan Business Mastery Show
6. Saturdays – Japan’s Top Business Interviews
Has 3 weekly TV shows on YouTube:
1. Mondays - The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show
Also every Second Thursday - ビジネスプロTV
2. Fridays – Japan Business Mastery
3. Saturdays – Japan Top Business Interviews
In the course of his career Dr. Greg Story has moved from the academic world, to consulting, investments, trade representation, international diplomacy, retail banking and people development.
Growing up in Brisbane, Australia he never imagined he would have a Ph.D. in Japanese decision-making, become a 40 year veteran of Japan and run his own company in Tokyo.
Since 1971, he has been a disciple of traditional Shitoryu Karate (糸東流) and is currently a 6th Dan.
Bunbu Ryodo (文武両道-both pen & sword) is his mantra and he applies martial art philosophies and strategies to business.