Create Social Value / Pursue Economic Value

I joined Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation in 2017, worked at a branch counter and in corporate sales, and was assigned to the Global Markets Business Unit in 2021. I am currently engaged in equity management operations in the Global Investment Department.

In the Global Markets Business Unit, there are so many opportunities for each person to share their market views with others and engage in thorough discussions together. There are no boundaries of seniority, hierarchy, or department; it is common for young staff to directly discuss matters with their supervisors or other departments. I also often directly convey my market views, based on my own analysis, to the general manager, and frequently receive opinions from the department’s economists and strategists. Engaging in repeated discussions with senior colleagues who have faced the market for much longer than I have is extremely helpful in refining my own market view. I feel that this environment fosters a culture of actively sharing market views, leading to the permeation of the “Three Is”—Insight, Imagination, and Intelligence—and serving as the source of our operational capabilities.

The Equity Management Group I belong to engages in index investing, and when making investment decisions, it is essential not only to analyze macroeconomics and the monetary policies of each country, but also to gain insights into the real economy from the trends of individual stocks that make up the index. We always keep the “Three Is” in mind: capturing the core information from vast amounts of data, thoroughly assessing the actual economic situation not yet reflected in economic metrics, and imagining all possible risks that may arise in the future.

The speed of information transmission in society has increased, and market participants receive the same information instantly. In this context, we strive to capture profit opportunities ahead of others and avoid risks through speedy investment decisions based on thorough discussions. One example is our operations during the Nikkei Stock Average crash in August 2024. After the Bank of Japan ended its negative interest rate policy in March of the same year, despite the major shift from over a decade of monetary easing, market participants expected a gradual reduction in monetary easing. Stock prices were hitting new highs, and the dollar-yen exchange rate was at its weakest yen level in decades. However, we sensed an overheated market and prepared for the possibility of a short-term correction. As a result, when the Nikkei Stock Average subsequently crashed, we were able to avoid losses.

With the impact of international politics and geopolitical risks, market uncertainty is increasing day by day. In such an environment, the ability to discern the underlying essence of various events occurring around the world is even more required, making it important to continuously accumulate broad knowledge and maintain a mindset of constant deep consideration. Going forward, I want to continue valuing the “Three Is” and contribute to the company through my own growth as a market professional.