54: Ken Shibusawa, President, Shibusawa and Company, Inc.

Ken Shibusawa shares extensive insight in the global financial
sector and alternative investment that has been influenced by his
great-great-grandfather, Eiichi Shibusawa, the “Father of
Japanese Capitalism.” Mr. Shibusawa was born in Japan and grew up
in the United States from a young age when his family first moved
to New York. He graduated from the University of Texas in
Chemical Engineering but decided to pursue a different career
course. After working for an NGO started by his uncle called the
Japan Centre for International Exchange, Mr. Shibusawa obtained
an MBA from the University of California, Los Angeles. Mr.
Shibusawa then went into finance, working for JP Morgan and
Goldman Sachs in Japan. Mr. Shibusawa is currently the CEO of
Shibusawa and Company, Inc., a strategic advisory firm. He also
founded and leads Commons Asset Management, Inc. Additionally,
Mr. Shibusawa is the director of Keizai Doyukai (Japan
Association of Corporate Executives) and a steering committee
member of UNDP SDG Impact, advisor of University of Tokyo, and
visiting professor at Seikei University. Mr. Shibusawa also runs
a podcast called “Made in Japan” https://madewithjapan.net/


 


Mr. Shibusawa recalls that working in investment firms during the
Japanese economic bubble in the 80s was a mixture of fun
experiences combined with stress and frustration. After turning
40, he made the decision to start his own business and founded
Shibusawa & Co. When recruiting staff, Mr. Shibusawa mainly
found his team through connections and just when the business was
beginning to pick up, the 2008 Financial crisis occurred. Shortly
before the crisis, Mr. Shibusawa started another company in 2008,
the Commons Asset Management, which was a mutual fund specialized
in long term investment opportunities to Japanese households.


 


To overcome the crisis and the challenges of leading a business
during uncertain times, Mr. Shibusawa started out modestly asking
for small amount investments and used the internet to promote his
companies as well as using his network. He also saw a connection
between his mission to encourage individuals to invest for
long-term accumulation of wealth to secure the future of their
families with Eiichi Shibusawa’s philosophy on ethical
capitalism. Mr. Shibusawa saw the crisis as an opportunity to
focus more on alternative investments and focused on growing his
asset management business while researching further on Eiichi
Shibusawa and his works.


 


On gaining trust, Mr. Shibusawa says it is important to share a
common purpose beyond financial rewards. For his asset management
company, Mr. Shibusawa’s purpose is to have long-term value
creation and he expects his team to share his mission. He also
adds how a sense of growth keeps the organization together.
Additionally, having worked in a global corporate environment,
Mr. Shibusawa recognizes the need to be a “translator” between
headquarters and local offices, responding to both digital and
analogue demands.


 


On his advice to foreign leaders coming into Japan, Mr. Shibusawa
advises to be observant and listen to people who are not vocal
yet have brilliant ideas. He also recommends learning basic
Japanese to win the local team’s trust and respect.