Executive education from Oxford Saïd and Waseda Business School – now available in Tokyo

The Institute for Business and Finance at Waseda University has been selected for the “Recurrent Education for Building a New Era of Industry-Academia Collaboration”(*) initiative, part of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s FY2024 supplementary budget to support the development of a recurrent education ecosystem. Its proposed initiative, The Global Leader Accelerator Programme, has received official approval.

*Note: The English name used here is a provisional translation and may differ from the official name if and when one is provided by MEXT.

Addressing the Global Talent Gap in Japanese Corporate Leadership

Japan faces a pressing challenge: a shrinking domestic market driven by a declining population. At the same time, global corporate environments are rapidly evolving, shaped by trends such as sustainability, digital transformation, and geopolitical instability. Yet, leadership development in Japanese companies has not kept pace, with front-line operations often taking precedence over long-term executive education.

Notably, the development of globally-minded leaders equipped with cutting-edge management knowledge is now an urgent priority. According to the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking 2024, Japan ranks last among 67 countries in terms of the international experience of executives and managers—highlighting a clear need for strategic investment in global leadership development.

Program Overview: One-Week Intensive Training in Tokyo (February 2026)

The Global Leader Accelerator Programme will launch with preliminary virtual sessions for participants and their sponsoring organizations, followed by a one-week, in-person residential program in Tokyo in February 2026. The program will feature collaborative instruction by professors from both Waseda Business School and Saïd Business School, offering a rare opportunity to experience world-class executive education without leaving Japan.

Designed specifically to address the challenges faced by Japanese companies in nurturing next-generation leadership, the program will deliver globally relevant content while being grounded in the local context.

Professor Katsuhiro Sato, Program Director and Professor at the Graduate School of Business and Finance, Waseda University, commented:

“This executive development program, in collaboration with Saïd Business School, brings world-class, top-quality content to executive education in Japan for the first time.

By combining Oxford’s extensive experience in global executive education with Waseda’s deep understanding of the leadership challenges faced by Japanese companies, we are confident this program will deliver meaningful impact. We believe this marks a new chapter for executive education in Japan.”

Professor Jonathan Trevor, Associate Dean for Practice and Affiliates, and Professor of Management Practice, Oxford University, commented:

“This close partnership with Waseda Business School combines the strengths of both institutions to provide innovative, impactful, and international executive education for senior leaders across all sectors in Japan.” 

Program Director

Professor Katsuhiro Sato
Graduate School of Business and Finance, Waseda University

• BA in Law, Keio University
• MBA, Stanford Graduate School of Business
• PhD in Management Science, Kyoto University
• Former Partner at Japan Development Bank (now Japan Investment Bank) and McKinsey & Company

For Corporate Inquiries

Institute for Business and Finance, Waseda University
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.waseda.jp/fcom/wbf/en