121: Mark Militello, Japan Country Head, APAC Head of Markets and Collateral, APAC at Bank Of New York Mellon Financial Corporation Limited

Mark Militello is the Country Representative of the Bank of New
York Mellon. This is his third posting to Japan, though he has
had a long history within the Investment banking space. He was
most recently with the Bank of New York Mellon in Hong Kong for
10 years before relocating to Tokyo.


 


When leading in Japan, Mr. Militello explains how Japanese
employees may not feel comfortable asking specific questions to
their clients. This may be due to their lower rank in the company
or the Japanese culture. He says that it is important for him to
sometimes step in and ask those hard questions to ensure the
operation is running smoothly. Although banks as an industry are
not known to be creative, Mr. Militello says that creating a
safe, relaxed environment for his team, especially the junior
employees, can bring out more innovative ideas. Mr. Militello
further explains that gaining the trust of Japanese employees can
be a challenge for a foreign leader. He adds, letting the
Japanese staff know that you have their back, that you are
invested in them and will fight for the team with headquarters
has helped with establish trust.


 


A way of getting people engaged in the company is to be
transparent. Mr. Militello emphasizes that they must try to give
everyone a voice and that must go beyond the leadership team. He
says that leadership is typically of a certain demographic.
Leadership may be men that are of a certain age and background
with a traditional way of thinking. This is not representative of
the views of the whole company. Mr. Militello emphasizes being
mindful of this and trying to hear everyone’s views, even people
lower down on the hierarchy, is essential.


 


Mr. Militello advises people to come to Japan with an open mind.
He also suggests unlearning most of the things that they may have
learned, as they may not apply to Japan. Furthermore, Mr.
Militello referred to his experience to nearby countries. He says
that people in Hong Kong and Korea have more English speakers in
the population, whereas in Japan it is a lot less and thus it is
important to be mindful of this. He recommends trying to learn
Japanese, even if it is a few phrases to show your commitment.
Mr. Militello also suggests getting to know Japan outside the
office. He says there is a lot to enjoy, especially the green
spaces and the fantastic food.