Introduction
Eisuke Kimoto is an Executive Director in the Global Capital Markets Division of Morgan Stanley Japan. Eisuke joined the firm in 2006 as an analyst and has spent most of his tenure in the Fixed Income Markets group, raising debt and convertible bonds for Japanese corporate clients. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Keio University and has also studied at Carnegie Mellon University.
How have your experiences and education prepared you for this role?
I majored in economics in Japan and learned a theoretical curriculum. I also studied at Carnegie Mellon [in the US], which applied theory to practical markets. I pull from my education in both theoretical and practical economic approaches in my role at Morgan Stanley.
My class in the US was about 50% to 60% international students so it also allowed me to collaborate with people from around the globe. After that experience, I wanted to look for a similar global environment in the workplace.
What led you to a career in finance and specifically to Morgan Stanley?
I participated in a brief internship with Morgan Stanley’s investment bank in Tokyo. Internships were not standard in Japan so it was the first time Morgan Stanley Japan offered this program. [What I went through] only lasted a week while I was a third-year college student.
Following such a brief internship, I participated in a recruiting program for Japanese students studying in the US called the Boston Career Forum. It’s the world’s largest Japanese-English bilingual career fair. At the Forum, I interviewed with five or six companies a day over three days.
I subsequently got an offer from Morgan Stanley and decided to join fulltime straight after college. Ten years later, I will be the one promoting the internship program to college students.
How have you progressed and evolved through your time at Morgan Stanley?
I had an opportunity to work in the London office for six months. I focused on banking and insurance regulations since London is at the center of those activities. The experience helped my career and I expanded my network to include a new group of people based in London.
Morgan Stanley encourages people to broaden their experiences into new product areas, which is how I ended up in London. The firm consistently provides opportunities to rotate to new areas and take on more responsibility. Managers encourage employees to be well rounded and knowledgeable on a variety of businesses at the firm.
Talk about your most significant accomplishment.
Several years ago, I worked on a multi-billion-dollar global equity offering for a leading Japanese financial firm, which was a critical part of its globalization strategy. I have since continued to work on overseas debt offerings for Morgan Stanley Japan as it transforms itself into an international financial company. My job, my team’s job, is to bring global intelligence to such Japanese clients that seek to expand overseas. It is intellectually stimulating.
Have you found mentors here at the firm? How have they shaped your experience?
Mentoring is a big thing. When I became a Vice President, my senior manager made mentoring one of my business goals, and it continues to be one in my current role as Executive Director.
I have benefited from it as well. I have been mentored by a very helpful senior officer in London who gives me advice constantly. Mentors are not just found within your team. The firm supports mentoring relationships from across divisions and locations to help promote talent.
What have you discovered about how to work with people at different levels?
The Capital Markets division is a rather flat organization. But I’ve found that it’s important to talk with people across divisions when I want to understand more about markets, client needs, and the regulatory environment. Constant learning helps me get better at my job.
