Employee Introduction
I envision myself moving as quick as the wind through European business districts.
Staff position (international business)
2015—Entered the Company after graduating from a school of economics and business administration
I want to experience working in countries all over the world and have had this dream ever since I was a child.
Someday, I want to experience working in countries all over the world. As vague as it may be, I have had this dream ever since I was a child. However, it’s impossible to suddenly start working overseas without any actual ability or experience. For this reason, while I was job hunting, I envisioned that I could take my first step out into the great big world by initially acquiring skills in a way that suited me through a position in sales. This way of thinking brought me to Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma. I had two motivations for joining. First, I wanted to create products that I could confidently deliver to companies as drugs that would improve people’s lives. Second, I wanted to take advantage of the timing, as the Company was focusing on its global strategies, thereby offering many chances to break out into the world for those who were willing.
After joining the Company, I accumulated sales experience working as an MR. I once thought that the most important thing about sales was to talk with people and use yourself as a selling point. Due to this egocentric preconception, I think I tended to make a lot of fruitless effort at first. Over time, I learned the importance of carefully listening to what potential clients had to say. This experience has really served me well, even now in my current position.
Of course, as I was working in sales, I was particular about target figures in my own way. I was able to experience the true pleasure of accomplishing goals while working as a team and involving various people from both inside and outside the Company. On the other hand, I never, even for a moment, forgot my dream of working all over the world and shared it with people around me, including my superiors, at every opportunity. Finally, I transferred to my current department in 2017, my third year with the Company. I was very glad to come one step closer to achieving my dream, but I now think that I had a large amount of anxiety concerning whether or not I could truly handle working overseas.
My baptism in global business
I was mentally prepared but continuously felt bewildered.
Currently, I am in charge of managing business conducted by European group companies and their affiliates as well as coordinating them with related internal departments. During my third month of working in my current department, I suddenly faced a large obstacle; I was charged with conducting price negotiations with a European affiliate that imported our products.
In order to work out an appropriate price, I first needed to understand the business schemes related to our exporting activities. This project was also related to our export agreements, so it was also important that I verify what was in our previous agreements and conduct internal discussion regarding their revisions. Seemingly every day, I was interacting with related internal departments, including the Intellectual Property and Contracting Department and Production Technology & Supply Chain Management Division.
All correspondence with European affiliates throughout the course of this project, including e-mails, telephone calls and written contracts, were completely in English. However, the most difficult struggle I faced was negotiating with the responsible parties representing our European affiliates. I needed to be able to assert the necessary points, and the kind of ambiguous negotiation that might work between two Japanese parties would not be acceptable. I had felt mentally prepared going in but was continuously bewildered by the differences in business style and culture.
I often felt down due to my lack of experience, but my superiors supported me, and I gained a lot of confidence when I had seen the project through to its completion. Looking back, I also feel that the realization that I share a Company with many supportive people was another hugely positive result of this project.
I believe that Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma is a company in which those who have forward-thinking determination and ambition will absolutely see their dreams fulfilled.
Once I have accumulated experience through my current position, I want to finally try my hand at an overseas assignment next. Of course, I will still need to study a lot of things before I take that step.
When staff members like me work at overseas Group companies, they become directly involved with the business and management of those companies. In order to quickly and efficiently perform related duties, one must have the ability to accurately comprehend the actual state of business through various numerical figures, such as those in financial statements. I am all too aware that I currently lack this ability. Additionally, I absolutely want to experience participating in large-scale global projects, such as new product development and launching overseas subsidiaries. Many senior members have experience with overseas assignments and, having heard about the working styles they were exposed to abroad, envision myself working all across the globe.
I make time to carefully think about my life plan at the beginning of each year. With a fresh state of mind, I consider that year’s goals and think about my plans far into the future. A certain image inevitably comes to mind during these times; the image of myself moving quick as the wind through European business districts.
I will need a corresponding level of determination to fulfill my dream and it will be necessary for me to move forward, accomplishing all jobs that come before me, one by one. However, I believe that Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma is a company that invariably gives anyone with forward-thinking determination and ambition the opportunity to take on challenges.
In April 2019, I was able to obtain the chance to work in Germany. Despite the difference in lifestyle, every day was very exciting working where I desired to work at. I was in charge of the early development for the European region. In Europe, there are many countries, so there will be many plans according to various regulations and culture. As I had to collaborate with my colleagues to gather the knowledge, every day was trial and error. Working together with colleagues including outside of Europe was though, but very exciting.
Today, my experience having a chance to see Japan from abroad during working in Germany has been one of my strength working back in Japan.
Now, my responsibility is international public relations in the Public Affairs & Policy Department. I am trying to increase our global presence through gathering information about policies and regulation, and also accessing stakeholders through international activities by Japan Pharmaceuticals Manufacturers Association. Even though my role has changed, keep on learning and contributing to Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma’s expansion globally.
- Career step
- 2015 Assumed responsibility for medical practitioners as an MR at the Koshinetsu Branch’s Niigata office
2017 Began engaging in the promotion of business in Europe and the United States as a member of the Overseas Business Department
2019 Working in Germany to conduct business in Europe
2021 International public relations at the Public Affairs & Policy Department
* The affiliation and description in the article are those at the time of interview.
