About
Name: Tadashi Kubo
Nationality: Japanese
Programme: MBA 2017
Education: Universidade Federal do Parana, Brazil; BA International Economics, Keio University, Japan
Current role: Co-founder & CEO, AC Biode, Luxembourg
Pre-MBA role: Finance Manager, Sojitz Corporation, Tokyo, Japan
What stood out about the academic learning experience for you?
I really liked Management Praxis, in the first term in particular,which showed us the importance of working in teams and the value of diversity across teams.
Please tell us about the standout elements of the Cambridge experience or extra-curricular activities you had during your MBA.
The standout elements for me were the interaction with diverse friends across the MBA cohort and the wider Cambridge Judge community, the various colleges and the wider University of Cambridge networks, including the Special Interest Groups or SIGs, the sport, and so many more elements.
How would you describe the cohort of people in your class? What value did they bring to your MBA?
Our MBA cohort became my best friends and not only are they still very much my good friends but I can see that my classmates will be friends throughout my life and career, going forward.
What aspect of the MBA learning/experience would you say you find most useful now in your professional life?
The networking and the diverse experience of our MBA cohort cannot be rivalled. We can ask anything at anytime in the class WhatsApp groups and we always get a reply of help and we always take the time to introduce each other or signpost each other.
Did you switch any of the following after your MBA?
After my MBA year I switched my job function from finance to startup founder and full time entrepreneur.
If you did make a switch, what factors enabled you to do that?
I actually switched all three: job function (from manager to Co-Founder & CEO), industry sector (from finance to energy), and country (Japan to Luxembourg).
How has the MBA influenced your career journey in general?
I hesitated to take a risk to start my company but my Cambridge MBA cohort pushed me to the journey. I realised at the time that it was better to take that risk early in my career and now and so I did. Even if it fails, I got the confidence through the MBA year and the people that I met in Cambridge, that I could take the risk and survive anyway.
What would you say to others working at the same company you did before your MBA – would you recommend the Cambridge MBA to them, and if so, why?
I would totally recommend the Cambridge MBA to those working in my previous company. Overall, I can recommend the MBA for the outcomes I mentioned before, including lots of practical experience and diverse perspectives, as well as the networking opportunities, and overall the lifelong Cambridge communities that develop and grow as a result.