CEO Insights Magazine

The professional coaching and talent development industry is a dynamic sector that plays a pivotal role in enhancing the skills, abilities, and potential of individuals within the corporate world. In this industry, dedicated professionals and organizations provide coaching services to help individuals and teams reach their full potential, fostering personal and professional growth. Kotaro Fukudome, the Founder and Executive Coach of Coach Nexus Japan, stands as a prominent figure in this field. Kotaro Fukudome's diverse experiences, leadership skills, and commitment to fostering talent development make him a significant figure in the fields of finance and coaching. His dedication to transformation and growth, both at the individual and organizational levels, is a central focus of his work with Coach Nexus Japan.

Fukudome's visionary leadership and commitment to the transformation of individuals and companies have contributed significantly to the growth and impact of professional coaching and talent development in Japan. Through his coaching engagements and strategic guidance, Kotaro Fukudome has been at the forefront of elevating the standards and effectiveness of coaching in the business world, making a lasting impact on the industry. Let’s get to know more from him in below interview snippets.

Tell us about your professional background and experiences. What inspired you to establish Coach Nexus Japan, and what drives you today?

I have over 20 years of experience in international finance, working at top institutions such as Fuji Bank, Lehman Brothers, Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan, and Bear Stearns. I excelled in various roles, including managing teams, recruitment, and achieving top performance in Government Bond Sales. In particular, I have served as Managing Director at JPMorgan Securities and Deutsche Securities, and as Senior Managing Director at Bear Stearns, where I contributed to the overall management of the Tokyo branch as a member of the executive team. I'm passionate about team revitalization and have successfully transformed underperforming teams into industry leaders. I established the Global Reach in 2011, focusing on fostering global talent through study-abroad programs for Japanese students. In 2018, I expanded my business interests and took on an advisory role.

In 2021, I founded Coach Nexus Japan to provide coaching for business and personal growth. I also hold positions on the boards of the Society for Research on Work Competency and the Maki Asami Ballet Company.

I've authored publications and delivered lectures internationally. I hold an M.B.A. from Keio University Graduate School of Business Administration. My career has been dedicated to enhancing professional and personal development in various capacities.

With more than three and a half decades of experience, could you share the journey that led to your success and the guiding principles that have contributed to it?

With over 35 years of experience, my journey to success began when I made a career shift from a Japanese bank to a U.S. securities firm. Early on, I encountered administrative challenges and a shortage of research staff at the U.S. firm. This prompted a pivotal conversation with the Head of Sales, where I underwent a significant personal transformation.

In that conversation, I realized the importance of adopting a more executive perspective. It changed my approach to work fundamentally, allowing me to think like a leader. This change propelled me to achieve remarkable sales performance at Deutsche Securities and lead my team to the pinnacle of the industry at JPMorgan Securities.

The lesson I learned from that experience was profound: a single question can reshape your approach to work. I've since applied this perspective shift to team management and talent development. Today, I am deeply involved in business coaching in Japan, working to nurture the growth of professionals and actively contributing to the progress of Japanese companies.

How would you define Coach Nexus Japan as an organization and its current position in the market? Coach Nexus Japan is an organization committed to facilitating profound shifts in individual awareness and behavior through coaching, with the ultimate goal of nurturing talent development and enhancing business performance. While coaching is often perceived as a gentle and soft approach, it, in fact, demands rigorous involvement, necessitating individuals to discover and execute solutions to the questions posed while being accountable for their progress. In today's environment, traditional forms of instruction and guidance alone are insufficient to inspire employees to take initiative, which in turn hinders a company's competitive edge. At Coach Nexus Japan, our strong aspiration is to play a pivotal role in transforming each individual employee and the company as a whole through our coaching initiatives.

Please share your leadership and governance approach. What principles guide your leadership style?

I firmly hold the belief that leadership is fundamentally rooted in one's way of being. It extends beyond merely charting the course or guiding team members; it encompasses my approach to work, thought processes, and the philosophy I bring to building client relationships and forging lasting business connections in my day to-day responsibilities. Consistently embodying these qualities is key. I am convinced that by observing my demeanor and thought patterns, those around me are influenced, prompting them to delve deeper into their own reflections, find purpose in their work, and collectively build an organization that takes proactive action. While this endeavor is undoubtedly challenging, I am committed to getting closer to this ideal by strengthening my own foundation, working alongside my colleagues, and progressing in unison with our clients.

Furthermore, I place great importance on transparently communicating to team members what practices are recommended and what should be avoided, subsequently entrusting them with the responsibility to take ownership of their actions.

Where is your ultimate destination in this journey?

At present, our primary focus is on facilitating concrete transformations within each client company and sustaining these changes over time. Our fervent aspiration is to see our client companies evolve towards self-reliance. In essence, we view our decreasing involvement as a sign of their growth. By assisting Japanese companies in achieving steady and sustainable growth one step at a time, we believe we can play a role in the overall advancement and development of Japanese society. Rather than pursuing grandiose ambitions, our commitment lies in earnestly engaging with our client companies and every individual within them. We firmly believe that the accumulation of small, meaningful successes will create a ripple effect that expands and eventually guides us toward a more significant, distant objective. We are dedicated to diligently amassing our efforts and making valuable contributions to each client, their respective companies, and Japanese society as a whole.

What advice would you offer to emerging leaders?

Drawing upon my ongoing journey of personal and professional growth, I may not consider myself fully qualified to offer advice to emerging industry leaders. However, if I were to share one insight, it would be the following: 'Our perception has the power to significantly alter the way we perceive situations and, in turn, shape our mindset. While it's natural to sometimes adopt a victim mentality, it's during these moments that a change in perspective can potentially lead to transformation. I firmly believe that it's crucial to approach both life and work with a sense of enjoyment'.

Kotaro Fukudome, Founder & Executive Coach, Coach Nexus Japan Kotaro Fukudome, a prominent figure in professional coaching, is the Founder and Executive Coach of Coach Nexus Japan. With extensive Executive, he has been at the forefront of enhancing coaching standards and fostering personal and professional growth Quick Facts Hobbies: Horseback riding, reading in cafes Favorite Cuisine: Japanese, Chinese, Italian Favorite Book: "The Essence of Decision" Favorite Travel Destination: London

Awards & Recognition:

Invited To Give Lectures & Research Papers Nov 2011

University of Bonn, Germany “Japanese Banks and the Global Market Crises ~Lessons from the Lehman Shock”

Apr 2012 Waseda University, Japan “Experience Global Leadership”

May 2012

Dalian Jiaotong University, China “Personnel Evaluation System of Foreign Financial Institutions in Japan”

Apr 2013

Waseda University, Japan “Experience Global Leadership” 

Book Publishing Among the representative papers on management & related topics, I have published the following:

•Textbook for your 1st year at a global company •6,000 copies of the book were published by KADOKAWA •Textbook for working at the world standard level •5,500 copies of the book were published by ASUKA Publishing