AVCJ Private Equity & Venture Forum 2023
Asia's premier private equity & venture event for the last 36 years
LIVE Broadcast & In Person
Four Seasons Hotel, Hong Kong & Online
16
Nov
Track 2: Japan: Asia’s momentum play
- Is Japan more resilient to external pressures than other Asian markets?
- Are carve-outs and succession being joined by other sources of deal flow?
- Is Japan in danger of running into an exits overhang?
- Should currency depreciation be more of a challenge or opportunity?
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SpeakersNozomi Oda Partner & Co–Head Asia Private Equity MORRISON FOERSTER
Kenta Shima Partner J-STAR CO., LTD.
Toshitaka (Taka) Shimizu Partner L CATTERTON
Shohei Akiyama Chief Administrative Officer NSSK
T.J. Kono Partner UNISON CAPITAL
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Nozomi Oda is a partner in the Tokyo office. Her practice focuses on cross-border public and private M&A, joint ventures, strategic investments, and capital markets transactions. She has a particular emphasis on advising private equity and life sciences, clients. Nozomi serves as–head of Morrison & Foerster’s Asia Private Equity practice.
In addition to her work in private practice, Nozomi previously spent two years with Japan’s FinancialServices Agency (FSA) as a deputy director of the corporate disclosure department, where she participated in the drafting of the FSA’s regulations on disclosures regarding tender offers, private placement offerings and director compensation.
Nozomi is recommended in the 2020 edition of The Legal500 Asia Pacific for Japan: Corporate and M&A.
Nozomi is a bengoshi admitted to practice in Japan and New York, and is a member of the Daiichi Tokyo Bar Association.
Joined J-STAR in May 2015. He is responsible for J-STAR’s Investor Relations (fundraising, communications with investors and media) and Operations (human resources, investment execution support, fund administration, management of subsidiaries, and planning and management of fund operations).
He is engaed in communication with the investors to raise funds for J-STAR No.3 Fund Series, J-STAR No.4 Fund Series and J-STAR No.5 Fund Series.
As an investor relations representative with experience in the investment team, he provides investors with first-hand information about the market and each portfolio company. In the fundraising process, he was responsible for the overall design of the process, preparation of disclosure materials, communication with each advisor, and handling questions from investors.
In addition he made 5 investments (6 investments including additional acquisitions) in N Holdings (IT service), paiza (IT education), JC Holdings (Sale of subculture fashion), Alpha Corporation (staffing of a private teachers), Esco (electrical equipment sales and construction) and executed 1 successful exit.
He provides management support to the portfolio companies as an outside director during the investment period. As a consultant to management teams, he engages in management accounting implementation, KPI design, sales improvement, overseas expansion, and management personnel recruitment. He also provides expert advice in the corporate finance area, leveraging his experience at financial institutions.
Before joining J-STAR, he was responsible for more than 50 SMEs as an Relationship Manager at MUFG Bank and was mainly responsible for subscription finance credit for funds at MUFG Union Bank.
He graduated from BA in Economics and Minor in Mathematics from University of California, Santa Cruz. He is a Class-1 Sales Representative and Internal Administrator of the Japan Securities Dealers Association.
Toshitaka (Taka) Shimizu is a Partner in the Asia fund of L Catterton, leading buyout and growth investments in Japan since opening its Tokyo office in 2018. He has around 15 years of private equity experience. Prior to joining L Catterton in 2017, Mr. Shimizu worked at CLSA Capital Partners Sunrise Capital and Rising Japan Equity, focusing on consumer-oriented investments. He holds the Chartered Accountant qualification and graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) / Commerce dual degree from the University of Queensland.
Shohei Akiyama is a member of NSSK’s four-person Management Committee and is Chief Administrative Officer (“CAO”) at NSSK and is responsible for all the operation functions in NSSK’s Business Support Team (including accounting, tax, legal and compliance functions). Prior to assuming his role as CAO, Shohei was a Director on the Investment Team and has been with NSSK since its founding. Before joining NSSK, Shohei was at JPMorgan Securities Japan Co., Ltd. in their Investment Banking Division. At J.P. Morgan, he was responsible for a number of major transactions for Japanese companies including cross-border M&A and global IPOs. He is a graduate of the University of Tokyo (B.A.).
T.J. Kono joined Unison Capital in 2002. He has managed a number of investments in Japan since Unison’s first fund, then led Unison’s expansion to Korea as its founding member. Today, he serves as a member of both Japan and Korea Investment Committee. He has been involved in Unison’s investments in Drug Eleven (Japan), Mine-Mart (Japan), UCOM (Japan), Nexcon Technology (Korea), Gong cha (Korea)/Royal Tea Taiwan (Taiwan), and Forbes (Japan). In addition to investment role, he oversees Unison Group’s investor relations functions. Prior to Unison Capital, he worked at Merrill Lynch Japan.
Mr. Kono has a B.S/B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis.