Akane Yoshida: As a Professional in an Era of Accelerating Change

In today's world, where all phenomena are constantly and significantly changing, how should companies and society solve their challenges? In 2024, I was appointed Deputy Representative and Chief Commercial Officer of the PwC Japan Group. I am now supporting Japanese companies and government agencies in addressing these issues alongside professionals from various fields, including auditing, tax, consulting, and M&A (mergers and acquisitions).

My career began when I passed the second stage of the Certified Public Accountant examination (at the time) during my fourth year in the Faculty of Economics and joined an auditing firm. I first became interested in becoming a CPA after having the opportunity to study economics in a class at Keio Girls Senior High School. I remember being strongly drawn to the work of CPAs, who act as guardians of the capital markets, at a time when social attention toward the importance of those markets was increasing.

In 2009, I was part of a team supporting "cross-border M&A," primarily conducted across national borders, and Post Merger Integration (PMI), which is essential for maximizing the effects of such deals. The Lehman shock of the previous year had brought great turmoil to the capital markets and cast a shadow over the real economy in the form of a global recession. At that time, there was a succession of acquisitions of overseas companies by Japanese firms with relatively healthy financial structures, and the importance of PMI was growing.

When implementing PMI within organizations where nationalities, languages, values, and corporate cultures all differ, I was reminded of how crucial the perspectives of accepting diversity and sustainability are. I believe I was able to approach my work positively while taking diverse values into account because of my experiences at affiliated schools such as Keio Chutobu Junior High School and Keio Girls Senior High School. The attitude of searching for what I love, learning autonomously, and acting on my own responsibility based on the knowledge and experience I have cultivated was nurtured at Keio University and has become the backbone of my life as a business professional.

Recently, generative AI has been attracting significant attention, and there is no doubt that this innovative technology will accelerate various changes in society and the economy. The question of how to confront social fragmentation will also become increasingly difficult. As a professional in an era of accelerating change, I want to continue facing various challenges with the spirit of independence and self-respect.