Yoshimasa | MBA Alumni Interview

First of all, why did you decide to apply to ICS?

As I approached the 10th year of my career, I had many opportunities to reflect on myself, and I began to feel stuck, wondering if I was contributing to the company. I needed to change my way of thinking and decided to pursue an MBA to learn about business theory as a whole, including accounting and human resources.

What made me choose Hitotsubashi ICS above any other school was that it is a Western-style global MBA program. Since I was planning to work in a global position after graduation, I thought that studying together with students from diverse backgrounds would lead to my future career.

What was the hardest part about the admission process, and do you have any tips for future applicants?

What was your most memorable experience in the MBA program? 

While my days at Hitotsubashi ICS were physically demanding, I was amazed at how fast I was able to absorb what I learned. The MBA curriculum is organized for students to take multiple courses simultaneously, but they were all tied to business. I was very surprised to learn how each corporate activity affects management indicators in a short period of time and how they are linked to each other.

I was also impressed by the fact that the curriculum at Hitotsubashi ICS is structured in English, and there are many students from overseas, so I was exposed to a wide variety of cultures. 

There are many other things that I have learned at Hitotsubashi ICS, and I have a great sense that I have been able to apply them in practice. In retrospect, this may be because the professors had both academic and practical experience, and they taught me in a way that made it easy to implement these principles in practice.

How has the above experience influenced your career?

After earning my MBA, I returned to work in digital marketing. I had the option of switching careers and starting over from scratch, but I thought I could contribute to the business more effectively by using the knowledge I gained from the MBA program in addition to my previous experience.

Please give some advice to future candidates.

Do you have any word of advice for our current students?

I think the time you spend in the MBA program is very tough, both mentally and physically. Do your best.
After completing my MBA, I saw the world completely differently than before, and there were many positive changes. I hope that you too will study hard without regrets.