Meet Takako Kawazu, Client Relationship Executive, Asian Risk Solutions (ARS)
Please tell us about your career journey and your path to Sompo.
My first job was at a sushi shop in a supermarket when I was 15 years old which was a very good opportunity for me to learn about society. After graduating from university, I joined Toshiba Corporation and was in charge of Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) sales of 1.8-inch hard disk drives installed in PCs at the Tokyo headquarters. After working for four years, I left the company for France to study abroad. After that, I moved to Mexico. My first job was at Panasonic as an assistant to the marketing director. In order to get a desired client relationship/marketing position, I changed my job to Sompo Mexico (SMX). It was my first time working in the insurance industry, so I was a bit worried, but with the warm-hearted support of SMX, including the current CEO of SMX, and the guidance of my colleagues at Sompo America and Sompo Japan, I was able to accumulate knowledge from scratch and grow up professionally. In particular, I was engaged in supporting insurance arrangements for Japanese companies involved in the maquiladora business at the border and the expansion of Japanese automobile manufacturers and suppliers into Mexico. I spent 15 years at SMX. In April 2020, when my mission in Mexico had completed, I relocated from Mexico to Los Angeles and have been in my current position since.
What advice do you have for prospective Sompo candidates?
The culture of Sompo Japan, the origin of Sompo, has always been to value people. This applies not only to our clients and brokers, but also to our employees. Since becoming Sompo, we have added diversity and a more open corporate culture. I would like you to cherish yourself as you are, and the same way, cherish your clients, brokers and colleagues, and achieve great growth together. I think this is a place where we can make it possible.
Tell us about an initiative at SI that you are most excited for in 2023.
Last year, it was very exciting to be able to visit the West Coast’s key clients in person with key members of the Underwriting, Asian Risk Solutions (ARS) and Claim departments, after long time travel restrictions due to COVID. We were very happy that our clients and brokers were looking forward to our visit.
In addition, I’m taking the lead to arrange a loss prevention survey related to the delivery of valuable machinery exported from Japan for Sompo Group’s important clients. This coordination involves both Japan and the U.S. side. I really want to make this project a success for our future business growth.
What is your idea of a perfect day outside of the office?
I love history, reading books, watching movies and documentaries, and learning about topics that interest me. I am particularly interested in the history of Europe and after accumulating knowledge, it is my hobby to actually travel to those places, so the day I spend doing that is a perfect day for me.