On December 12th, Mr. Ryo Matsumoto from Hitachi Construction Machinery (Scheduled to change its brand to LANDCROS Corporation in 2027) delivered a lecture titled “Strategic approaches to career development in a globalized business environment” about how we should strategically build up a global business career across different countries during the Seminar 3 course (Instructor: Assistant Professor at GLOMAC, Toyohiko Sugimoto).
Mr. Matsumoto is an IT management professional with a strong background in both consulting and engineering, particularly in the fields of information security and cybersecurity. He has worked at globally recognized companies including Fujitsu, Deloitte, and IBM. Over the course of his career, he has gained extensive international experience, having worked on cross-border IT projects and having served as an expatriate in China.
Thanks to these experiences, Mr. Matsumoto has developed strong communication and coordination skills that have enabled him to build trust and navigate negotiations in international business settings. These abilities have been essential in successfully leading projects in a global business environment. Currently, he is eager to engage in future opportunities to support and inspire the next generation whenever possible.
In his presentation Mr. Matsumoto has explained that work is not the ultimate purpose but rather a tool to our goals. He emphasized that we should apply what we learn to the future. Specifically, for students at GLOMAC who aspire to build careers overseas, he highlighted the importance of developing a strong area of expertise that helps you stand out from other business professionals in the market. Furthermore, he noted that having diverse business experiences will enable you to express your thoughts and opinions, no matter which language you speak.
A key message in his lecture was the significance of identifying and cultivating one’s own specialty—something unique that sets each person apart. He encouraged students to view their careers as a combination of “specialty × global experience,” a formula that can help them create their own international opportunities or stand out as strong candidates for overseas assignments within organizations.
During his presentation, students were given the opportunity to engage in a logical thinking technique known as a “logic tree,” which is a simple yet powerful thinking framework. This approach also helps students learn basic logical thinking skills such as labeling and leveling. Through this exercise, students explored their future goals and learned how important it is to break down the elements and numerical tasks needed to reach those goals into multiple layers, much like a tree structure. Not only did this activity help seminar students refine their final goals, but it also made the necessary steps to achieve them more visible, supporting them as they work toward building their desired careers. He encouraged students to view life as a series of unique projects and to create their own stories, rather than simply following someone else’s path.
Students enrolled in Seminar 3 are in their third year of university and are now facing the pressures of job hunting, and this is the time when they need to seriously consider their future directions.
So, Mr. Matsumoto’s lecture offered timely and valuable insights. Many students looked highly engaged throughout the session and participated actively in the Q&A, asking a variety of questions such as:
“What are the keys to succeeding in business when working with people from different cultures?”
“What is the primary reason you are attracted to starting your career at Hitachi Construction Machinery, rather than at any of the other companies you could apply to?"
Other questions included:
“For job hunting, how can we figure out our strengths that make me stand out from other candidates?”
“It seems that there were several job changes. For each move, what motivated your decision, and was there anything in particular you paid attention to during the process?”
Overall, the lecture offers a valuable opportunity for students to reflect on their future goals, prepare for job hunting more effectively, and begin envisioning their own paths toward successful international careers.
※所属する日立建機株式会社の公式見解を示すものではなく、あくまで登壇者個人の意見・経験に基づく内容です。
