Where Every Connection is a Gift

When Freya Cullen joined Makana Partners for her internship, she brought curiosity, strong analytical skills, and a real enthusiasm for learning. With experience from Deloitte, St James’s Place, and GAIN UK, Freya was eager to explore how executive search connects people, data, and strategy. During her time with us, Freya supported research, marketing, and candidate sourcing projects, quickly adapting to new tools and even exploring how AI can make recruitment more efficient. Her focus, creativity, and professionalism stood out as she took on each challenge with confidence. In this spotlight, Freya shares what surprised her most about the executive search industry, what she learned about teamwork and time management, and how this internship has shaped her future as an Economics student at the University of Surrey. 1) What is one thing you learned about the executive search industry during your internship that surprised you? How has it changed the way you view the work we do? One thing I learned during my internship is that high-level roles for clients often come with many detailed and specific requirements. I was also surprised by the differences between the Japanese and UK markets, particularly how the recruitment processes and expectations vary across regions. 2) Can you describe a time when you helped with sourcing candidates? What strategies or tools did you find most effective, and why? During my time supporting recruitment for senior-level roles across different sectors, including finance, I helped source and identify high-caliber candidates that met each client’s specific and complex requirements. To do this effectively, I utilized a refined Google search tool that allowed me to explore detailed professional profiles across the industry. This approach helped me pinpoint individuals with the right experience and background, ensuring a precise match for the client’s description and making the sourcing process both efficient and targeted. 3) How did managing and updating our content calendar help you understand the importance of marketing to our company? Managing and updating the content calendar helped me see how strategic planning and organization directly impact marketing success. By reviewing upcoming posts and topics, I could identify content gaps and ensure our messaging stayed consistent and aligned with company goals. It also allowed me to schedule posts effectively, track the best times for engagement, and analyze performance data. 4) What did you enjoy most about creating or managing content for our social media or website? Can you give an example of a post or project you’re especially proud of? What I enjoyed most about creating and managing content was exploring different AI tools to improve both content creation and scheduling. I found it rewarding to research new technologies, present my findings to Yan Sen and the team, and then apply those insights in our marketing strategy. This experience gave me creative freedom to manage my section, align our posts with the brand image, and experiment with different content ideas. I’m especially proud of how this process helped me analyze engagement data and develop new, more effective strategies for future campaigns. An example of this was when I used a digital platform to create engaging videos showcasing our recent company event. From that content, I developed a structured marketing plan and strategy, which I later presented to the Horton International team. 5) You worked on a variety of tasks—such as sourcing, research, social media, and more. How did you stay organized and manage your time effectively? What was the most challenging part, and how did you handle it? Managing multiple tasks during my internship required effective organization and time management. I broke down tasks into dedicated time blocks to stay motivated and focused, especially as new tasks emerged alongside ongoing responsibilities. I also used a spreadsheet to track deadlines and progress, which helped me stay on top of each task and manage timing effectively. The most challenging part was balancing new assignments with existing ones, but by prioritizing and careful scheduling, I ensured nothing was overlooked and all deadlines were met. 6) How did working with consultants, mentors, and other team members help you grow professionally? Did they challenge any of your assumptions or teach you something unexpected? Working with the consultants, mentors, and wider team helped me grow a lot professionally. Everyone was incredibly supportive and welcoming, which gave me the confidence to share my ideas freely, even as an intern. What surprised me most was how collaborative the environment was—when anyone, including me, needed help, the whole team stepped in to brainstorm and find solutions. I also learned from consultants across different industries about what each sector values and how to find the right client matches. 7) You supported research and reporting tasks during your internship. What did you learn about analyzing the market or preparing presentations for new tools? During my internship, supporting research and reporting tasks taught me that there are many different options and strategies to save time effectively in our work, which I wasn’t aware of before. I also learned how these tools and approaches can improve the overall market by better matching clients with candidates and helping to develop the business further. Presenting findings was particularly insightful because it allowed me to gather diverse opinions from the team on the tools we reviewed, which helped guide decisions on what to implement going forward. 8) If you could suggest one improvement to our processes—whether in sourcing, research, data management, or social media—what would it be and why? From my experience handling content creation, I would suggest diversifying the types of posts to keep our audience engaged and involving consultants more actively in this area. Additionally, regularly analyzing our competitors’ content could provide valuable insights. Before I left, we explored different AI tools not only for content but also for outreach and sourcing. I believe that expanding our use of varied platforms and technologies will help us grow professionally and optimize the team’s time, ultimately improving efficiency across sourcing, research, data management, and social media. 9) Looking back, which part of your internship helped you grow the most? What new skills or knowledge are you taking away from this experience? Looking back, the part of my internship that helped me grow the most was learning how AI can support and enhance many aspects of business operations, from marketing to recruitment. Before the internship, I had little experience in these areas, but by managing social media platforms and conducting research, I developed valuable skills in both marketing and recruitment. This experience gave me a well-rounded understanding of how technology and strategic planning combine to drive business growth and effectiveness.

Japan appears highly attractive to global tech businesses. It boasts the world’s fourth-largest economy and a base of sophisticated consumers. Yet, many foreign startups find Japan a surprisingly difficult market to crack. 1. High Standards for Quality and Service Japanese customers expect perfection. Products are judged not only on what they do, but on how reliably and gracefully they perform. Even minor bugs can seriously damage a tech brand’s reputation. Companies like Amazon succeeded only after building robust local support teams and adopting strict quality controls to meet these standards. Service expectations are equally demanding. 24/7 Japanese-language support, efficient returns, and extremely reliable delivery aren’t “nice-to-haves”; they’re essential requirements. These expectations can overwhelm new entrants unfamiliar with local norms. 2. Trust and Long-Term Relationships Business in Japan is personal. Trust must be built slowly, often through lengthy introductions, face-to-face meetings, and social engagement. Unlike in Western markets, companies rarely switch suppliers quickly, preferring domestic partners they know well. This culture is reinforced by Japan’s famous keiretsu system, networks of interlinked companies with close relationships. Breaking into such a system takes immense patience and a strong local presence. Salesforce found success by empowering trusted Japanese staff to lead operations independently and by investing heavily in local partnerships. 3. Caution and Slow Change Japan’s business culture is conservative and risk-averse. Companies often stick with established brands rather than try something new. This cautious approach slows sales cycles; major decisions can take months and must go through consensus-driven processes like nemawashi and the ringi system. Rapid disruption is rare. Even innovative tech firms must demonstrate steady value and long-term commitment before gaining wide acceptance. 4. Regulatory and Bureaucratic Hurdles Government regulations present another challenge. Japan’s bureaucracy is thorough and slow-moving, requiring detailed compliance checks and extensive paperwork, especially in sectors like finance or public infrastructure. These requirements mean startups must be well-prepared and patient as they enter the market. 5. Lessons from Successes and Failures Some Western companies have struggled, while others have adapted and thrived: Uber failed in Japan by ignoring local regulations and cultural norms. Japan’s taxis already offered safe, reliable, and convenient service, reducing Uber’s appeal. The company’s aggressive approach clashed with Japan’s consensus-driven business culture, leading to a quick withdrawal. eBay entered late and misunderstood consumer preferences, never building the trust or convenience offered by Japanese competitors. Its retreat illustrates that simply replicating a global model doesn’t guarantee success in Japan. Stripe succeeded by adapting to Japan’s unique systems, customizing its offerings, and accommodating local payment methods. Its willingness to learn and adjust underpinned steady growth. Netflix and Amazon both found success by investing in local content, customer service, and infrastructure tailored to Japanese preferences. Netflix thrived by producing Japanese-language programming and personalizing experiences for local audiences. 6. The Bottom Line Japan rewards commitment, patience, and adaptation. Companies that thrive here localize their products and services, invest deeply for the long term, and build lasting trust with customers and partners. For those willing to meet Japan’s high standards and navigate its layered business culture, opportunities remain substantial, but shortcuts rarely work.

Japanese below As of 2025, AI has become an indispensable tool in the financial sector, supporting both operational efficiency and advanced decision-making. Key areas of adoption include real-time fraud detection, multidimensional credit scoring, and AI-powered customer service via chatbots. The use of generative AI for report drafting and automated investment advice is also expanding. Main benefits of AI in finance include: More accurate fraud detection and risk prediction through behavioral and transactional data analysis Enhanced credit assessments using alternative data such as utility payments and rental history 24/7 customer support through intelligent virtual assistants Significant cost reduction by automating back-office tasks such as payment processing and reporting However, several challenges are emerging. AI models often function as “black boxes,” making it difficult to explain the rationale behind decisions—a critical concern in regulated industries. In addition, biased training data can lead to unfair outcomes, particularly in lending or insurance. The rise of generative AI also introduces new cybersecurity risks, including fake voice and document manipulation. On the regulatory front, oversight is tightening. With the EU’s AI Act and similar efforts globally, transparency and accountability in AI-driven financial services are increasingly emphasized. In Japan, the Financial Services Agency and Bank of Japan are also beginning to establish AI governance guidelines, signaling the need for stronger compliance and governance frameworks. Looking ahead: Generative AI will see broader use beyond customer service—extending to investment advisory, document automation, and even internal training Human-in-the-loop workflows, where AI supports but doesn’t replace human decision-making, will become standard AI will play a growing role in ESG analysis, including environmental risk assessments and ethical investment scoring Financial professionals will increasingly be required to possess data and AI literacy as a core skill set 金融業界におけるAI活用の現状と展望 2025年現在、AIは金融業界において「業務効率化」と「高度な意思決定支援」の両面で不可欠な存在となりつつあります。特に、不正取引のリアルタイム検知や、信用スコアリングの多角的分析、カスタマーサポートのチャットボット化などが急速に普及。生成AIを活用したレポート作成や投資アドバイスの自動化も進んでいます。 AI活用の主なメリットは以下の通りです： 取引データや行動履歴を分析することで、不正検知やリスク予測が従来より正確に 与信審査では、過去の信用履歴に加えて代替データ（公共料金支払いなど）も活用 チャットボットや仮想アシスタントにより、24時間体制の顧客対応が可能に バックオフィス業務（決済処理、レポート作成など）の自動化で大幅なコスト削減 ただし、課題も明確になりつつあります。 AIモデルの判断がブラックボックス化しやすく、「なぜその結果になったのか」が説明しづらいこと、また、学習データに含まれるバイアスによる不公平な判断が懸念されています。さらに、生成AIによる音声や文書の偽造など、サイバーリスクも新たな課題となっています。 規制面でも動きが活発化。 EUの「AI法」などを皮切りに、金融におけるAI利用には高い透明性・説明責任が求められる時代が到来。日本でも金融庁や日銀がAIのガイドライン整備に着手しており、今後は「ガバナンス体制の強化」が金融機関にとって重要なテーマになります。 今後の展望としては：  生成AIの業務活用は、顧客対応・文書処理だけでなく、投資助言や社内教育にも拡大 AIと人間が協力しながら業務を進める「Human-in-the-Loop」体制が標準化 ESG（環境・社会・ガバナンス）評価や気候リスク分析などにもAIが活用される見通し 金融人材には「データ・AIリテラシー」が必須スキルとなりつつある