26: Peter Jennings, President, Dow Japan

Peter Jennings was fresh out of Law school when he joined Dow in
1985 as an attorney. After representing the company in major
legal cases, Mr. Jennings moved to Hong Kong in 1998 after
accepting the role as legal counsel for Dow Asia-Pacific. He
stayed in this region for six years and briefly took on major
roles in the United States before stepping into his current
position as President of Dow Japan and Korea. Furthermore, Mr.
Jennings is the Vice President of the American Chamber of
Commerce in Japan.


 


Mr. Jennings’ experience in the United States, Hong Kong and now
in Japan has enabled him to gain a vast amount of knowledge about
what it takes to be a good leader. He reflects back on lessons he
learnt from his previous bosses and associates, and delves into
the key components for being successful in Japan. Mr. Jennings
further explores how he has been able to change the sometimes
difficult Japanese business culture, which has allowed his
Japanese employees and associates to feel more comfortable and
trusted. Additionally, he talks about the importance of diversity
and encouragement, and explains and exemplifies this by sharing
success stories about women from Dow Japan. Finally, Mr. Jennings
concludes by giving three key pieces of advice for any person who
is hoping to work and lead in Japan.