Guest Speaker Seminar “ESG/SDGs Investment Trends—Impact Investing in the World and Endeavors in Japan” in conjunction with Case Study (Finance and Development in Emerging Asia)
Impact investing is an investment strategy in pursuit of not only financial returns, but also a positive social impact to address such challenges as eradicating poverty, reversing environmental degradation and achieving equitable and inclusive societies. Investment with environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations is an approach to impact investing. As the global community shares the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), investors are increasingly attentive to approaches taken of companies and projects to contribute to achieving the SDGs. Against this backdrop, this guest speaker seminar focuses on ESG/SDGs Investment to help deepen understanding on recent impact investing trends in the world and provide an overview of Japan’s endeavors in the global context, and discuss the prospects from asset management, industrial vitalization, and international cooperation perspectives.
Date & time: Wednesday, September 22 | 14:00-15:30
Venue: Online (Webinar)
Language: Japanese with English-Japanese simultaneous translation
Registration: UTokyo students and faculty members are invited to register here by Tuesday, September 21. The URL to a Zoom webinar will be sent to those who registered.
For inquiry: tnishizawa(at)pp.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Program
MC: Ms. Momori Hirabayashi
14:00 Introduction by Prof. Toshiro Nishizawa
14:05 “How do global institutional investors see the promise of ESG/SDGs Investment” by Mr. Michinobu Suzuki, CEO, Nuveen Japan Co. Ltd.
14:25 Panel discussion “Japan’s endeavors and prospects in impact investing” (panelist family names in alphabetical order)
Mr. Shohei Hara, Director General, Private Sector Partnership and Finance Department, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
Ms. Lisa Inoue, Assistant Vice President-Client Relation & Product Management, Nuveen Japan Co. Ltd.
Mr. Masahiro Kato, Head of Responsible Investment, Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation (MUTB)
Moderator: Prof. Toshiro Nishizawa
15:15 Q&A
Speaker & panelists
Shohei Hara, Director General, Private Sector Partnership and Finance Department, JICA: Hara Shohei started his career with the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund. After a two-year secondment to the Ministry of Finance, Government of Japan, he was posted to India as a junior representative. Since 1999, with Japan International Cooperation Bank (JBIC), he was Director for operations in Central Asia and Caucasus region among other posts. From 2008, with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), he has been occupying key positions including Director for operations in India, Chief Representative in Iraq, Head of Global Issues and Development Partnership, and Director General for operations in South Asia region. Since 2020, he is Director General for Private Sector Partnership and Finance Department, responsible for partnership with business for development solutions and loans and equity operations with private sector projects in developing countries.
Lisa Inoue, Assistant Vice President-Client Relation & Product Management, Nuveen Japan Co. Ltd.: Lisa Inoue is Product Manager of Nuveen Japan. In this role, she is responsible for product management across wide range of asset classes and supports developing relationships with financial institution, pension clients and distribution business. Prior to joining Nuveen, she worked in Operations at Blackrock for three years and started career in MUFG as a relationship manager of trading company.
Masahiro Kato, Head of Responsible Investment, MUTB: Masahiro Kato has been with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group since April 1990 and has over 25 years of experience in asset management business. He started his career as Japanese equity financial analyst, after which he was assigned as Asian equity portfolio manager and US equity financial analyst for Japanese institutional investors in Tokyo and New York. His career also includes new product development of Responsible Investment funds for Japanese investors, Responsible Investment implementation and enhancement, proxy voting, engagement and ESG (Environmental, social and governance) research in Tokyo and London. Since June 2019 he has been with Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation as Head of Responsible Investment. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Keio University and is a Chartered Member of the Security Analysts Association of Japan (CMA).
Michinobu Suzuki, CEO, Nuveen Japan Co. Ltd.: Suzuki is Representative Director of Nuveen Japan Co. Ltd., overseeing the overall operation and development of the asset management business in Japan. Prior to joining Nuveen, he was Senior Vice President of Neuberger Berman and in charge of both Product Management and Sales. He has over 17 years of product management and distribution experience, including roles with Goldman Sachs Asset Management and PIMCO.
Moderator
Momori Hirabayashi: Momori is passionate about women’s empowerment and advancing gender equality. She co-founded WE Int. in Japan and She Sailed in the US to help women with their career development and tackle gender-related issues. She received her MPP from the University of Tokyo and MPA from Columbia University where she focused on financial policy, strategic partnerships, and human-centered design. Previous work experience includes assisting debt & equity raises and providing pro-bono consulting services to non-profit organizations where she focused on strategies to ensure exponential growth.