Laurent Depus, Previous President of Natixis Japan Securities

Laurent Depus, President of Natixis Japan Securities, the
Japanese branch of French bank corporation Natixis, has been
working in Japan for over 30 years. Originally from Belgium, he
aimed to become an English and Spanish interpreter but changed
his career course when he joined Chase Manhattan Bank in
Luxemburg as a trader. After experiencing various management
positions in the financial sector, Mr. Depus joined Natixis in
2014.


Mr. Depus observes successful organizations need to establish
three main pillars. First is to have a profitable business model.
Second is to have regulated governance. Third is to have a strong
company culture. 


During his time at SMBC Trust Bank, he built these three pillars
for the company from the ground up. He especially notes the
challenge he had of creating a strong company culture in the
complex Japanese workplace. Although very hierarchical, Mr. Depus
observes that the Japanese decision-making process is more
participatory than the west. He explains how vital it is to
establish trust within one’s team to ensure everyone is moving
towards the same direction. This is a challenge especially in a
non-confrontational culture like Japan where people may seemingly
agree with the boss but silently resist. Additionally, Japanese
staff may be wary of foreign managers as they are seen as
short-term workers who will move onto another position in 2-3
years. In navigating such challenges and winning trust, Mr. Depus
emphasizes the importance of being genuine, honest and
transparent. He says, “I think once people have realized that you
are honest and genuine, the ice will crack. Trust will be
generated. And once you have trust, mistakes can be made. You can
make mistakes and your staff can make mistakes. But there's no
hard feelings because there is trust, like in any…family.” Mr.
Depus adds that when there is trust, more people come forward
with new ideas, creating a momentum for creative
innovation. 


Mr. Depus advises newcomers of Japan to be prepared,
detail-oriented, and honest in order to gain trust. He explains,
“in the Benelux where I'm from, I would only get a transaction
when I had the best price. [But in Japan], once the relationship
is created, it's usually more than just a simple, pure business,
[but a] product-oriented relationship.”