Earlier this week, the University of Manchester East Asia Centre hosted a panel seminar for the community in Japan on: "Managers to C-Suites: Leadership Journeys in the Manchester Global MBA", at the Foreign Correspondent’s Club Japan.

The panel who shared powerful, practical, and insightful perspectives from the C-Suite, were comprised of Fumiko Watanabe, Stephen Kha, Ken Kurahashi and Mohamed Hafeel.

To the audience, we trust you had enjoyed the evening. Thanks again for being with us tonight and see you next time soon!
 

For those of you who missed it, here were the key takeaways:

C-suite leadership is about creating and running systems; authority-only leadership is the wrong instinct. Readiness shows when you perform the next-level job before asking for the title, and credentials matter less than simulation and practical self-learning.

C-suite roles focus on business outcomes, not just your function. Advancement comes from results that others can see—so pick high-visibility work, think critically, and treat programs like an MBA as real-world application and pivoting (not just test-taking).

C-suite impact is articulating clearly, organizing chaos, and setting strategy. You don’t need to hold the title to act that way—these behaviors can be practiced at the manager level, with boldness when needed.