What do you do at Mizuho?
I’m the business manager for the global futures. My responsibilities include client relationship management, product development and strategy.

What surprised you about Mizuho?
Mizuho is an extremely process-oriented organization, which generally suggests a slower pace. Yet, our firm has experienced some of the fastest growth I have seen in my career.

What are Mizuho's culture and people like?
Mizuho’s culture is very consistent with its core value of "client first.” From that platform, we drive as a team into new products to accommodate clients. From a people perspective, we have been very intentional around Diversity & Inclusion and have a very welcoming environment.

What’s the first thing you read every day?
Because our business is global, I generally wake up to a number of overnight emails from clients and colleagues in Asia and Europe, so I get through those over a cup of coffee. I also read a couple analyst reports and news articles to get a feel for what the issues of the day will be in the markets.

How is Mizuho different from other places you've worked?
The topography of our organization is much flatter than other places I have worked. Clients have come to appreciate the speed with which we can make decisions.

What’s a particularly proud moment you’ve had here?
Every time a client awards us a piece of their business, it’s an extremely proud moment—each win is testimony to the hard work and dedication of our operations team. Many of the markets we clear have experienced extreme volatility, which we have successfully navigated with our clients.

What’s one thing you've learned while at Mizuho or in the industry?
It’s possible to be both a competitor and a collaborator. Amidst the unprecedented regulatory change, our industry has worked together on many issues to find common solutions on a range of issues.

What else interests you, outside financial services?
Conservation is an issue I've had an interest in since I was very young. I’ve been a member at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium now for almost 20 years and have served on its Auxiliary Board for more than five years.