Fortience Consulting Inc._Akane Oikawa

While working at an electric power company in my previous job, I enrolled in the IMBA program at the Graduate School of International Management. Including the summer intensive English course, I spent about one year and two months at the Graduate School. Looking at the long span of life, it was “just one year,” but for me, it was a precious year that allowed me to re-examine my life and career, providing me with many insights and lessons.

Many students in the IMBA program were Japanese, sent by Japanese companies, but because almost all classes were shared with the two-year MBA program, Japanese students were a significant minority. Classes often included group work and presentation opportunities, and active participation was encouraged. During group work and discussions, students were expected to clearly communicate their own ideas while respecting the opinions of others, and frequently engaged in debates until everyone was satisfied. After class ended in the evening, we would immediately gather in the study room, sometimes engaging in heated discussions that sometimes continued until late at night. I still keep in regular contact with my classmates, and we reunite when I travel around the world.

Having completed the IMBA program, I am currently working at a consulting firm, supporting companies in the power industry. My experience from my previous job is certainly useful in my current role, but more than that, I feel that my graduate studies have contributed greatly to the comprehensive business knowledge that is essential for understanding the companies I support, as well as the fundamental approach to consulting work: "thinking for yourself, identifying issues, formulating hypotheses, and working toward solutions." Going forward, I hope to continue to gain experience so that I can support the growth of companies, particularly in the GX field, with a focus on the energy industry.

My days at graduate school were not all fun and games; there were times when I worried, failed, and lost confidence, but I believe that I was able to carve out my own career thanks to the valuable environment that allowed me to stretch my abilities and the colleagues who shared the good times and the bad.