Sumitomo Corporation Female Employees’ Must-Have Products for Work Items Perfect for Overseas Travel, Business Trips and Work Excursions

Q1: What has your career path been to date?

I joined Sumitomo Corporation in 2009. After two years of risk management assignment in the infrastructure sector, I transferred to the sales department. There, my responsibilities included power EPC projects* , business development and asset management for investment projects in Southeast Asia. After four years of maternity and paternity leave, I was transferred to the Philippines in 2023 to work at the company that operates the CBK hydroelectric power plant. As Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), I lead the entire administrative department, including HR and logistics.

*Project including engineering, procurement and construction work.

Q2: What are your main responsibilities currently?

Since November 2023, I have been involved in the operation of a hydroelectric power plant in the province of Laguna, Philippines, which supports the power supply to Metro Manila. The weather is essentially summer year-round in the Philippines, and I struggle on a daily basis with sunburn, as you can see in the photo where my skin has gone dark.

I work as CAO – which entails being head of HR, logistics, general affairs, CSR and other departments. – Since there are only two Japanese expatriates at the company including myself, I am consulted with local staff and have to make decisions on technology, accounting and finance on a case-by-case basis.

Building relationships of trust with the 19 barangays (local municipalities) is crucial in safely managing power generation projects, and we sometimes take part in neighboring village festivals while wearing traditional dress.

These clear lens sunglasses are indispensable for power plant work, which usually involve being outdoors. I already had weak eyesight, partially due to my eyes’ pigmentation. The sun in the Philippines damaged my eyes even more, so I started using these sunglasses a few months ago.

At first, I wasn't comfortable wearing sunglasses in an office often visited by customers and government officials, but I like these clear lens ones that look just like regular glasses. Maybe I even look a little more intelligent with them on…!? I feel like I can see better while wearing them, so I also wear them indoors (laughs).
I bought these sunglasses at UNIQLO for 1,900 yen during a trip back to Japan. They're lightweight and durable, so I plan on using them every day until they break!

I joined Sumitomo Corporation in 2008. I’ve been assigned to the former Telecommunication Business Department in 2011 and has since been involved in investing in the telecommunications business in emerging countries. In April 2013, I was assigned to Mongolia for two years and seconded to a local mobile carrier investee, where I was placed in charge of corporate planning and marketing. After returning to Japan, I was involved in new business development, and after two maternity and child rearing leaves, I am now the team leader of Carrier Business Team that manages the Ethiopian Integrated Telecommunication Business.

I lead the team that manages Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia Plc, the second mobile telecommunications operator in Ethiopia (and the first in the private sector) in which Sumitomo Corporation has invested. Mobile communication services were launched in 2022, and the service area is gradually being expanded. Alongside performance and project management for the operating companies, I handle discussions and negotiations with stakeholders from multiple countries, including Kenya, South Africa and the UK, and regularly visit relevant sites.

I always bring Moroccan Oil hair treatment whenever I'm traveling for work. I travel frequently, and especially since returning to work from maternity leaves, I often have to make brief visits elsewhere. When I travel overseas, I try to minimize my luggage so I can travel around easily once I arrive at the destination.

Especially when traveling with male colleagues – who usually seem to have less luggage – I often pack just a carry-on. Since there are restrictions on liquids on international flights, I always try to carry fewer toiletries and cosmetics. Hair care products that don't need to be rinsed off are particularly convenient.

To keep my luggage to a minimum, I usually use the shampoo and hair dryers provided by the local hotel. Unlike the water in Japan, shower water in other countries is often quite hard, and with dust and dry air too, my hair dries out easily. But if I use this oil as a finishing touch, my hair stays in place, and I don't have to worry about damaging it. One time when I forgot to bring it with me, I was able to buy some from duty-free on the flight!

Q1: What has your career path been to date?

I joined Sumitomo Corporation in 2021. Since joining the company, I’ve been part of what is now the Office Building Business Unit. Urban development, which I’ve studied since I was a student, is now my job, and I mainly oversee the development and operational management of office buildings in central Tokyo.

Q2: What are your main responsibilities?

We acquire land and develop, operate, manage and lease office buildings in central Tokyo, mainly in the Kanda area. In concrete terms, this involves negotiating with landowners to acquire land for new development, product planning, project and profitability management for new buildings, handling tenant occupancy and repair work orders for properties after construction is completed, alongside sales to bring in tenants.

Real estate business is only as good as the people on the ground, so I value frequent site visits and face-to-face communication with everyone involved. This may sound a bit Showa-era old school, but our real estate projects have a large scope, and even young people are given a lot of responsibility. This sense of responsibility means that we almost treat the buildings as if they were our own.

For me, it's a three-piece set of "flats, pants and a clean backpack" that I use on construction sites. I’ve adopted this style almost every day since my first year with the company.

I wear flats and carry a backpack so that I can comfortably walk around without strain while working outside – which I do a lot. Also, as we are sometimes required to climb outdoor steel steps for previews of buildings, or to visit construction sites of properties under development, I usually wear pants for the sake of practicality. I usually have two or three pairs of pants that I like in different colors, and I buy more flats than anyone else! (laughs)

During my first and second year at the company, I did a lot of hands-on work – walking around office buildings to survey area tenants and examine other factors. One summer day, I was walking around with my hands full – phone in my right hand for taking pictures and a pen and memo in my left hand. I had my trusty backpack in front, with an iced latte in its pocket, and remember being thankful as I frequently hydrated while navigating the site.