The MBA Tour Tokyo 2024

“Don’t just get out of your comfort zone, expand it,” were the wise words of advice given to the crowd of people who attended the MBA Tour Tokyo on Thursday, August 1st at the Shinagawa Marriott Hotel. This annual MBA Tour brings together aspiring business leaders with admissions directors from the world’s top business schools, offering a unique opportunity for candidates to engage in personalized, face-to-face meetings. The event serves as a critical platform for those looking to build career paths in business management by providing tailored guidance, school matching and access to exclusive pre-event consultations. Here are some of the business schools that shared and presented their programs at Thursday’s panel.

William & Mary MBA program

Amanda Barth, Dean of Graduate Admissions and Recruitment, said that the William & Mary MBA program has a long history of talented Japanese candidates pursuing Full-Time MBA study at the Raymond A. Mason School of Business. The program is highly attractive to companies and self-sponsored candidates from Japan due to the unique Executive Partner Program. The unique program presents an opportunity for MBA students to work one-on-one with an executive coach to develop their leadership skills.

According to Barth, the William & Mary MBA has a strong focus on quantitative and leadership skill development. A solid foundation in big data, business analytics and quantitative tools prepares graduates to solve complex business problems in a rapidly changing world, while also providing a diverse community that fosters teamwork and networking opportunities. 

The program has an extensive network of Japanese MBA alumni representing top companies in Japan and around the world. 

“Japanese alumni are very close, sharing alumni gatherings and family connections back in Japan, reuniting around admissions recruitment and One Tribe One Day celebrations in the spring season,” said Barth. 

Prospective students can easily connect with alumni who are always willing to mentor future program candidates. Prospective students will find community and support from alumni and admissions staff alike.

IESE Business School

The 15- and 19-month full-time MBA programs at IESE Business School offers a stimulating learning environment with more than 55 nationalities represented, and is designed to stretch and mold you into a global business leader. Moreover, the combination of diversity and their unique case method model makes IESE completely different from any other business school in the world.

 “The more diversity we have, the more they can learn from their peers,” said Tomofumi Nishida, MBA Class of 2016, and MBA Admissions Deputy Director of Asia.

Differences between IESE and other institutions include the availability of scholarships, specializations, application tips and so on.

Singapore Management University

⁠Nestled in close proximity to the Central Business District, Singapore Management University ⁠(SMU) provides students with access to networking opportunities, internships, and career fairs.

The SMU MBA Program offers flexibility, with two intakes per year and a structure that supports graduation at the 10, 12 and 15 month mark.

The curriculum covers important topics related to Digital Economy and ESG, with four specialization tracks in Human Capital, Communication Management, Entrepreneurship and Finance. 

Joshua Sim, Senior Manager for Recruitment & Admissions, explained that SMU’s renowned, innovative curriculum attracts candidates looking for a different format of study with a global perspective. The program offers an attractive compulsory internship and a new venture creation project that allows candidates to gain real world experience while simultaneously pursuing their studies. 

The MBA offers a seminar-style pedagogy with in-house case studies written on businesses and organizations operating in Asia, granting students a deeper sense of how business works across different Asian cultures and economies. The seminars are taught by internationally renowned faculties and practitioners from the industry.

Sasin School of Management

Several advantages that the Sasin School of Management offers MBA candidates from Japan include a strategic location in Bangkok, Thailand, potential partnerships with Japanese companies and universities, and cultural proximity and diversity, all with the purpose of exposing candidates to different business cultures, especially in Southeast Asia, networking opportunities and global perspectives.

The Sasin MBA program is designed to develop well-rounded global business leaders through a curriculum that balances core business fundamentals with courses on emerging trends such as digital transformation and sustainability. The curriculum includes case studies, group projects, guest lectures, workshops and a focus on developing soft skills to enhance the learning process. The program also places an emphasis on teamwork, adaptability and ethical leadership.

The MBA Tour Tokyo provides a valuable platform for aspiring business leaders to connect with top global business schools and gain insights into diverse programs tailored to meet the demands of a rapidly changing business environment. The schools represented at the event showcased their commitment to shaping the next generation of business leaders. Make sure to sign up for the next event to take the next step in your business career.