Meet Yuka Tamaki, VP, HR, Sompo Holdings Asia, Senior Deputy Manager, HR, Sompo Holdings
Please tell us about your career journey and your path to Sompo Holdings.
I began my career journey with Sompo in the Information Systems department back in 2007. At that time, we underwent a big merger project, and I spent eight years there. In 2014, I joined the development program called “Sompo Global University” and engaged in the OJT program in Bangalore, India for one year.
I was excited to work in a global environment, and after returning to Tokyo, I was assigned to Sompo Holdings HR in 2015. This started my career in HR. In this role, I handled global projects such as Performance Management and HR Information System to align core functional areas across the group. I moved into a new position working in the Retail Platform in Istanbul in 2020, then moved to Singapore in 2022 where I now work within Sompo Holdings Asia HR.
Why do you work? What is the purpose in your work?
I feel excitement when I can change things for the better and create value that makes someone else’s life/work easier. Sompo operates business on a global basis. Working in Sompo and having a close relationship with Sompo Group companies allows me to better understand best practices outside Japan. This exposure fosters new ideas on how I can leverage this experience to make Sompo an even a better place to work.
Tell us about a Sompo initiative that you are most excited for in 2023.
Maximizing the organization’s capability has been the main mission for our team, and in the past three years we have been focusing on several projects to create strong leadership, strong strategy and culture, while attracting the best talent and increasing engagement.
Last year, we started to deep dive on how teams can generate greater performance by focusing on managers’ potential, shifting the leadership style from being less of a ‘boss’ to more of a ‘coach’. Together with our group company HR, we have delivered long-term training to 10 different companies in the overseas consumer P&C business, covering all management levels. Through this program, we aim to create a culture where we focus not only on tasks but also on mission, so each member will feel excited, and have passion to take their own actions. We will continue this journey and plan to deliver the same training to all manager levels.
What is your idea of a perfect day outside of the office?
Playing tennis on a sunny day, enjoying a long healing massage, and spending a relaxing evening at home watching movies.