Interview
Mao KouchiNew graduates joining in 2023
Investor Relations team
Conveying
the Charm of
Bushiroad Based on Past Data
What is your position?
I belong to the IR (Investor Relations) team in the Corporate Planning Department. Our team is responsible for communicating with investors and providing them with necessary information. Our primary tasks involve creating financial disclosure materials and conducting meetings with investors.
How did your work life start off?
When I was initially assigned to the IR team, I needed to gain more knowledge about accounting, finance, and financial statements. I also needed a deeper understanding of Bushiroad's business at that time. I had to start from the early days of the company's business operations to catch up. Additionally, I read materials from other companies in the same industry and studied accounting principles to learn how to read financial statements. With the strong support of my supervisors and senior colleagues, I was able to learn step by step and put my new knowledge into practice.
Have your experiences from your student days been beneficial in your current job?
During university, I studied control systems and programming for robots in the engineering department. The process of collecting numerical data from various angles and analyzing it, which I learned in school, has been proved valuable in my current IR work and in managing the budgets of subsidiary companies.
I was a member of an acappella group. I collaborated with students from other universities to organize live performances and events. This experience has been helpful in my current IR work, where I need to communicate with various departments to gather information for financial disclosure materials.
Becoming a Bridge Between
Society and Bushiroad
Did you experience any difference between your expectations before joining the company and your actual experiences after joining?
One significant difference was being assigned to the IR team, it was unpredictable. I thought I would be in a department related to events, given my interest in entertainment, such as theater and music festivals. Moreover, I was the only new graduate assigned to the IR team (in fact, it was the first time assigning a recent graduate!), so I was a bit apprehensive about whether it would be difficult to ask questions in a formal atmosphere.
However, once I joined, I found that my seniors were friendly and willing to answer any questions. Within this supportive environment, I was able to learn and contribute to tasks such as creating financial disclosure materials and explaining the entire group of companies.
What do you find challenging in your current job?
Bushiroad often releases new topics during events (e.g. Strategy Presentation) which is essential for the company's future development. Depending on the timing, there may be information that has yet to be shared with investors. In such situations, it becomes crucial to carefully choose words and communicate as much as possible while ensuring investors understand and agree with our policies. The difficulty lies in selecting the correct words since miscommunication can lead to misunderstandings.
What is your goal at Bushiroad?
I'm learning a lot by listening to my superiors and senior colleagues in various contexts. However, I aim to deepen my knowledge further and actively engage with investors. I want to use my own words to convey Bushiroad's potential to society in a way that encourages long-term support for the company.
When talking with investors, I get many valuable advices. I make sure to listen to external opinions and share them with the team. I strive to become the bridge bewteen investors and Bushiroad!
