CEO Insights Magazine

The health of a nation is determined by the quality of its leaders. Healthcare leaders are critical in determining the future of medical services and patient care. Their strategic vi­sion and decision-making propel innovation, improve healthcare delivery, and address critical issues like access to care and health disparities. By encouraging collaboration, embracing technological advancements, and advocating for patient-centered approaches, these leaders ensure that healthcare systems are efficient, sus­tainable, and equitable. Their importance goes beyond organizational success, significantly influencing public health outcomes and improving overall quality of life.

Hiroshi Leo Nagatake, Managing Director and in charge of Topcon Healthcare SEA business is one such experienced leader boasting extensive experience in in­ternational business, blending Japanese management principles with local practices to drive strategic growth, particularly in the healthcare sector of Southeast Asia. He is an experienced leader with a computer science degree and a specialization in artificial intelligence and computer networks from the University of Tokyo. He is a highly motivated professional with a proven track record of success in the healthcare, ICT, and consulting indus­tries. He lays his expertise in Strategic Planning, Market­ing Strategy, Business Process Re-engineering, Financial Transformation, and Project Management.

In an exclusive interview with CEO Insights Asia, Hi­roshi Leo Nagatake talks about his professional journey and his unique play at Topcon Healthcare SEA.

Could you walk us through the milestones you crossed and the lessons you acquired along those experiences?

I was born and brought up in Japan without any ex­posure to the outside world until age 25, which made me a fully-domestic personI graduated from the Uni­versity of Tokyo's Engineering Department with a major in Computer Science. My studies centered on artificial intelligence, and I continued my education at the same university, changing my study subject to computer net­works and specializing in satellite communications for my master's degree. After finishing my master's degree, I began working for a consulting firm in Japan, special­izing in telecommunications and high-tech industries.

The notable challenges and turning points during my oversea business journey certainly came from the barriers of understanding difference in languages, cul­tures and business practices from Japan.

My first venture started in Australia to apply head­quarters policies to local practice. This experience pre­sented me with not only linguistic but cultural barriers as Japan’s common sense and business practices were not simply applicable to local. This taught me the value of thinking o ut-of-the box and adapting to local prac­tices without spoiling the intention of the policy. My second milestone occurred when I sought to broaden my international exposure by landing a project in New York. Despite initial success, the project was halted due to the client's internal restructuring. This failure taught me an important lesson about diversifying my business portfolio for sustainable growth. The third milestone entailed an assignment in Singapore. Here, I successful­ly expanded the business across Southeast Asia, by lev­eraging previous experience with an enhanced adapta­bility. This was thanks to my mentors' help, even though it was not part of the plan initially. I also managed to diversify the portfolio and that resulted in a wide range of industry exposure, including healthcare, which led to my fateful encounter with Topcon, the global leading company in the eye care industry, and my current posi­tion as the head of Topcon Healthcare’s Southeast Asia business.

Tell us about your academic experience at The University of Tokyo. What did you learn from the campus beyond academics?

Before studying at the University of Tokyo, I was a frog in the well and overconfident in my capability. Coming from the countryside of Japan, I had little exposure to the outside world. However, interacting with my highly qualified and diverse classmates significantly altered my perspective. This realization, my first major setback, also helped me come through my second setback in my business school later on.

I believe the biggest outcome we can take away from studying in renowned schools in addition to academics is about connecting with others and to also push our­selves beyond boundaries to be successful. This pre­vents us from feeling embarrassed when we catch up with old friends to update about each other.

My talented peers' healthy peer pressure inspired me to continue self-development, which has had a sig­nificant impact on my way of thinking and career de­velopment.

What are the ways you are driving Topcon Healthcare SEA towards a strategic direction, under your leadership? What are the guidelines or methodologies you follow to lead your team?

To revitalize business momentum, we recently made a series of drastic organizational changes in Southeast Asia to turnaround the business momentum. Strategi­cally, we are trying to blend strengths of Japanese and local management system to build an adaptable work culture, which is essential for today's dynamic busi­ness environment. As a Japan-headquartered company, we capitalize on Japanese companies’ traditions, such as employee loyalty and professionalism, while also in­corporating local and modern Western approaches to promote innovation and avoid stagnation. My extensive international and cross-industry experience allows me to understand and integrate local perspectives, ensuring that strategies resonate with diverse teams and markets. By embracing the disciplined, methodical approach of Japanese management while remaining open to innova­tion and change, I aim to lead the company with a bal­anced and inclusive leadership style. This approach fos­ters a culture of respect, collaboration, and continuous improvement, driving the organization forward. Having an organic synergy of these various methodologies, we hope to create a dynamic and adaptable organization that can drive our sustained success in the dynamic and competitive healthcare industry, enhancing its resilience and responsiveness to evolving global and local business challenges.

How are you guiding Topcon Healthcare SEA to excel in devising technology that addresses the challenges society faces in healthcare?

Topcon Healthcare prioritizes both business growth and societal impact. With an aging population, eye health is a major concern worldwide. We focus on preventive health­care using cutting-edge technologies. Our solutions are designed for enabling non-eye specialists to participate in screening patients. This approach addresses the short­age of eye professionals to close medical access gaps and improve overall eye health in Southeast Asia and beyond.

What is the future destination you are headed towards?

Due to financial constraints and a shortage of medical professionals, Southeast Asia has significantly lower ac­cess to healthcare than economically developed coun­tries. Topcon Healthcare aims to increase the region's healthy life expectancy, particularly in eye health, which is critical in aging societies. Maintaining good eyesight becomes increasingly important as people age, given that the eyes account for 80-90 percent of sensory in­formation. Our goal is to improve eye care accessibility, so that as people age, they can continue to live fulfilling lives with improved vision and overall health.

Hiroshi Leo Nagatake, Managing Director, Topcon Healthcare Sea

Hiroshi Leo Nagatake, Managing Di­rector, Topcon Healthcare SEA Hiro­shi Leo Nagatake is a seasoned leader with extensive experience in interna­tional business, particularly within the healthcare sector of Southeast Asia. With a robust academic foundation in computer science and a specialization in artificial intelligence and computer networks from the University of Tokyo, he expertly blends Japanese manage­ment principles with local practices to drive strategic growth. His diverse expertise encompasses strategic plan­ning, marketing strategy, business process improvement, financial trans­formation, and project management. Renowned for his high motivation and proven success, he has made impactful contributions across industries, con­sistently delivering results that elevate organizational performance.