Our Team

Yoshiko IwataYoshiko Iwata
President

Career Summary

• After gaining experience in diverse operations such as foreign exchange, financing, ALM analysis and risk management planning in the Tokyo Branch of a US bank, she joined a major US credit card company. She participated in expanding the credit card’s share in Japan, establishing a Japanese settlement center ahead of the rest of the world and an IC card trial.
• She began her investor relations career in 1992 and in December 1994, joined Technimetrics (now “Thomson Financial Investor Relations”), a U.S. IR consulting firm, when it established its Tokyo office in. She was the first to propose market-oriented IR activities in Japan. Until she left the company, she served as Senior Director, Japan & Korea. She handled over 100 companies while working there, and most of the companies now considered to be IR pioneers were included among her clients.
• Joined by members of the Japanese enterprise team, she established J-Eurus IR Co., Ltd. As Japan’s first global IR consulting firm. Utilizing her experience, she has conducted a full-fledged IR consulting business based in Japan. At present, clients include not only listed companies, but also emerging companies and companies prior to listing.
• Member of the Tokyo Stock Exchange Blue-Chip Company Selection Committee (2007 to 2011), Director of the Japan Academic Society of Investor Relations
• Launched the Study Group on Direct Investment in Japan within the “Japan Revitalization Strategy – JAPAN is BACK” at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in October 2013
• Graduated from Oin Senior High School
• Received a B.A. in Economics from Keio University.
• Received a Ph.D. in Economics from Kyoto University in 2016

Books & Articles

• “Funding of Japanese Companies Falling Behind Europe and America” [Harvard Business Review, November 1992]
• “For the Establishment of an Analyst Evaluation Organization” [Toyo Keizai Extra Number, 1994]
• “The Current State and Future Issues of IR Activities by Japanese Companies” [Shoji Homu, November 26, 1996]
• “IR Activities Determining Share Prices - Effect in Dealing with General Shareholders Meetings on the Condition of Being an International Blue-Chip Stock” [Nikkei Kinyu Shimbun, February 1997]
• “Problems with the Voting System in Japan and a Proposal for Improvements” [Shoji Homu, March 5, 2000 Edition]
• “Management of a New Century - Three Principles for Creating Serious IR and Disclosure Policies for the Market,” [Nikkei Business, November 6, 2000]
• IR that Touches a Chord with Investors and Analysts [Co-authored, Toyo Keizai Inc., January 2001]
• A Practical Guide to Public Offerings for People Involved for the First Time [Co-authored, Chuokeizai-sha, Inc., 2003]
• Authored eight articles on “New Trends in Corporate Governance Disclosure” in the “Eyes Opened” Series [Nihon Keizai Shimbun, August 2010]
• Authored four articles on “Latest Information on Corporate Governance Disclosure” in the “I See Investment Lecture” Series [Nihon Keizai Shimbun, August 2011]
• Authored the IR part in “Fund Management - Management and Practices of Investment Management Companies” [Doyukan, December 2013]
• Lead author of “Stewardship Code & Corporate Governance Code - The Impact on Japanese Companies and IR Activities” [Doyukan, December 2014]
• “Convincing Medium-term Investors - IR Response to the Corporate Governance Code” [Chuokeizai-sha, November 2015]

etc.

She has also authored numerous other articles on IR such as “The Role of General Meetings Viewed in the Latest Circumstances in America” (Weekly Toyo Keizai, June 10 / June 17, 2000 editions), “Powering Up Japanese Management,” “IR in the Year 2000,” and “The United States Conscious of the IT Era” in the journal published by the Japan Investor Relations Association, “From the IR Workplace” in Nihon Securities Journal in late 2001, and “The Basics of IR” in the TSE Mothers E-mail Newsletter.

Yoshiko TakayamaYoshiko Takayama
Managing Director, J-Eurus IR Co., Ltd.
President, Japan Board Review Co., Ltd.

Career Summary

• Joined Investment Banking Division of Merrill Lynch & Co in New York. Provided advice to Japanese companies in Japan and abroad on topics such as corporate finance and M&A in New York, London and Tokyo. After working at Thomson Financial Investor Relations, she has provided consulting on IR activities and corporate governance at J-Eurus IR Co., Ltd. In 2015, she was appointed as President of Japan Board Review Co., Ltd. and has provided support for board evaluations of numerous Japanese companies.
• Her other positions include;
  • Director, Japan Corporate Governance Network (to present)
  • Governor, International Corporate Governance Network (2010-2015)
  • Member of the “Council of Experts Concerning the Follow-up of Japan’s Stewardship Code and Japan’s Corporate Governance Code” operated by the Financial Services Agency and the Tokyo Stock Exchange (to present)
  • Member of the “Council of Experts on the Stewardship Code” operated by the Financial Services Agency (2017)
  • Member of the “Committee for Studying Scoring Criteria for Selecting Enterprises as Nadeshiko Brands” operated by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Tokyo Stock Exchange (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017)
• She received a B.A. degree in Economics from the University of Tokyo and an M.B.A. from the Yale School of Management. She received a Ph.D. (Socio-Information and Communication Studies), Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology, the University of Tokyo.

Books & Articles

• “Everything about Independent Directors - What is their Role?/Who are They?” [Co-authored, Toyo Keizai Inc., 2004]
• “The Day Shareholders Awaken - Corporate Governance will Change Japan” [Co-authored, Shoji Homu, 2004]
• “Manual for IR and General Shareholder Meetings Targeting Institutional Investors” [Co-authored, Chuokeizai-sha, Inc., 2007]
• “Board Evaluation and Corporate Governance - From the Era of Form to the Era of Effectiveness” [Shoji Homu No. 2043, 2014]
• “Discussion Aimed at Ensuring Effectiveness of Governance through Board Evaluation (Part 1)” [Shoji Homu No. 2049, 2014]
• “Discussion Aimed at Ensuring Effectiveness of Governance through Board Evaluation (Part 2)” [Shoji Homu No. 2052, 2014]
• "Stewardship and Corporate Governance” [co-authored, Toyo Keizai Inc., January 2015]
• “Objectives, Processes and Disclosure of Board Evaluation” [Business Homu, April 2015 Edition]
• “Board Evaluation Practices and Issues” [Securities Analyst Journal, April 2015 Edition]

etc.