Over the next several months we will be hosting a webinar series covering some of the latest technologies and how they may impact society, our firms and us as individuals. Our speakers will address the expanding boundaries of artificial intelligence, data policies and risk mitigation, experience with technology diffusion and specific use cases in critical industries. Please see the full program below, beginning with insights from Professor Yusuke Narita of Yale University on March 24th.
MODERATOR
Arthur Mitchell has over 46 years of experience, much of it in Asia and is one of the leading American lawyers specializing in financing transactions around the world. He spearheaded the creation of the Digital Transformation & Green Transformation Webinar Series in order to provide senior business leaders with insights into business, policy and legal issues related to emerging technologies. Arthur is a member of various professional associations including; Council on Foreign Relations, Sustainability Committee, American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ), Member of the Board of Directors, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc., and Director, Komatsu Ltd, and a regular speaker at industry conferences and is the author of numerous articles on legal developments in Asia and beyond.
PROGRAM DETAILS
WEBINAR 1 | AI and the SDGsManaging the risks and benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) will be a key contributor to achieving the 2030 sustainable development goals (SDGs). Use cases involving the design of lower carbon manufacturing methods, smart power grids and smart infrastructure are multiplying while new methods of sharing encrypted data are being developed. New research points to new directions for AI. |
||
Date & Time |
Friday, March 24, 2023 |
|
Speaker |
|
Yusuke Narita Assistant Professor at Yale University & Co-founder of the startup Hanjuku-Kaso |
| Yusuke Narita is an Assistant Professor at Yale University and a co-founder of the startup Hanjuku-Kaso, Inc. His research involves the data-driven design of decision-making algorithms and mechanisms, with applications to education and health policy issues. His research has been published in journals including AAAI, NeurIPS, Econometrica, American Economic Review, Management Science, and PNAS. He also works with major Japanese companies including CyberAgent, Mercari, Yahoo Japan, ZOZO, and Sony. Dr. Narita obtained a BA from the University of Tokyo, a Ph.D. from MIT, and was previously a Visiting Assistant Professor at Stanford University. | ||
WEBINAR 2 | Chips, AI and DXSemiconductors are the key component of modern technology and have recently taken-on geostrategic dimensions as competition to stay ahead in innovation involving advanced chips has increased. Understanding how the ecosystem and supply chains will affect the future development of AI, DX and GX is imperative in order to avoid choke points that can stymie efforts to solve some of society's most pressing problems. |
||
Date & Time |
Tuesday, March 28, 2023 |
|
Speakers |
|
Richard Dyck Board member, Japan Industrial Partners, Inc. |
|
Rick Dyck has been active in the semiconductor, technology space and private equity spaces both in Japan and abroad for over 40 years. He is currently a director and investor in Japan Industrial Partners (JIP), a Japan-based private equity firm which specializes in carve-outs of businesses from major Japanese corporations, and JIP is a contender for the Toshiba "going private" transaction. |
||
|
William Moran Partner, White & Case, Tokyo |
|
| Bill Moran is a partner in the International Trade group based in Tokyo. He advises clients on various international trade and regulatory matters. Bill has advised clients in matters before various US government agencies and courts, including the US Department of Commerce, the US International Trade Commission, the US Department of Treasury, the US Department of Transportation, the US Food and Drug Administration and the US Court of International Trade. | ||
WEBINAR 3 | Fusion of the physical and digital worldThe combination of sensors, drones and GPS systems allows manufacturers to gain more visibility into how their products are being used by customers and enables more accurate forecasting through the use of digital twins. EARTHBRAIN Ltd., an affiliate of Komatsu Ltd., is pioneering smart construction by taking full advantage of the possibilities of the Internet of Things. |
||
Date & Time |
Tuesday, April 4, 2023 |
|
Speaker |
|
Akinori Onodera President and CEO, EARTHBRAIN Ltd. |
| Akinori Onodera is president and CEO of Earth Brain Ltd, a company which seeks to optimize the construction production processes through the use of digital technology. He formerly served in a number of roles in Komatsu, Ltd., a leading global manufacturer of construction equipment and machinery. Notably, he served as president of Komatsu Rental Co., Ltd., where he oversaw the development of Komatsu's new business platform, Smart Construction, which aims to realize "next-generation construction sites" by connecting the entire construction production process in three dimensions using construction equipment and ICT technology. | ||
WEBINAR 4 | Decision making in volatile times: How to manage tech riskNew technologies are being developed and deployed at a fast pace, making it difficult for management and boards to keep up. Risto Siilasmaa, former Chairman of Nokia, regularly advises senior managers and boards on how to assess the impact of tech risks, implement a management plan and create a culture of risk awareness. |
||
Date & Time |
Tuesday, April 11, 2023 |
|
Speaker |
|
Risto Siilasmaa Founder and Chairman, WithSecure Corporation |
| Risto Siilasmaa is the founder of F-Secure and WithSecure Corporations and the Chairman of WithSecure, a leading cyber security company. Risto served as President and CEO of the company in 1988-2006. He is also a prominent venture capital investor with five unicorns and over 30 active investments via First Fellow Partner. Previously Risto was the Chair of the Board of Directors of Nokia Corporation 2012-2020 and led the company through a highly successful corporate transformation into a leader in networking infrastructure technology. Risto is a Board member of Futurice, Pixieray, CybExer, Quanscient and Upright and a member of Komatsu International Advisory Board, IESE Business School International Advisory Board and Yonsei University School of Business Global Advisory Board. | ||
WEBINAR 5 | How can a comprehensive data governance framework help government and industry?What is a data governance framework? What are data governance maturity models and how do they affect the economy? What is the role of self-regulation in the context of data governance? These are the key questions that need to be addressed as Japan builds a robust data capability and implements its vision. |
||
Date & Time |
Tuesday, April 18, 2023 |
|
Speaker |
|
Shuichi Izumo Executive Officer and Director, Global Policy & Government Affairs, Cisco Systems G.K. |
| Shuichi Izumo is executive officer and director of Cisco Systems G.K., the digital communications technology provider. In his role he focuses on public policy, including international trade and market access, and country digitization acceleration initiatives for Japan, and regularly represents Cisco's thought leadership activities in Japan. He is working for Cisco's co-charing role of the Digital Economy Working Group, US-Japan Business Conference, powered by the US-Japan Business Council (USJBC) as part of the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington D.C. | ||
WEBINAR 6 | Innovation in the electric power industryThe electric power industry is well over 100 years old, but the need for energy transition to cleaner energy sources and systems is causing traditional producers and new players to seek tech-enabled solutions such as on-line services, distributed energy and minigrids, as well as reconsidering geothermal power. Jeff Char will share his experiences in working with both large and small companies to find innovative solutions. |
||
Date & Time |
Tuesday, April 25, 2023 |
|
Speakers |
|
Jeffrey Char Founder & CEO, J-Seed Ventures, Inc. |
|
Jeffrey Char is a serial entrepreneur and investor and the founder and Chairman of TRENDE, an online renewable energy retailer accelerating the widespread adoption of solar power in Japan. He is also the founder and CEO of SOGO Energy, a distributed utility serving rural communities in Asia. He is the former Director of Corporate Venture Capital and a member of the Innovation Task Force at Tokyo Electric Power Company. Prior to his entrepreneurial career, Mr. Char was an attorney in Silicon Valley and also an investment banker in Tokyo. |
||
|
Julien Bocobza |
|
| Julien Bocobza is a partner in the Tokyo office of White & Case with close to two decades of experience advising sponsors and financiers on the development, financing and acquisition of infrastructure and energy projects in the renewable power sector. He has advised extensively on wind, solar, nuclear and conventional power, as well as in the hydrogen space, on projects across the Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa, Europe and Latin America. Mr. Bocobza regularly advises Japanese utilities, trading houses and energy companies, as well as Japanese and foreign investors across the spectrum, on both their overseas and Japan in-bound investments into the renewable and energy transition spaces, including on many cutting edge and first-of-a-kind projects across the globe. | ||
WEBINAR 7 | New tech opportunities: How do VCs look at it?Venture capital firms have backed many of the most important technology companies at an early stage based on the potential for high growth and large returns on investment. How do venture capital firms help accelerate the growth of these companies? What opportunities exist for high-growth startups from overseas to enter the Japanese market? |
||
Date & Time |
Tuesday, May 16, 2023 |
|
Speakers |
|
Masami Takahashi President, Scrum Studio Inc. |
|
Masami Takahashi joined Scrum Studio Inc. in 2021 as President to lead its growth as a business incubation platform. Previously, Mr. Takahashi served as General Manager and later as Chief Strategy Officer at WeWork Japan where he spearheaded its business launch and expansion, opening more than 30 locations in six cities in the first two years. Prior to WeWork, he led Uber's business in Japan as President and launched Uber Eats in Tokyo. He started his career as a marketer at Sony in Tokyo and Paris, and later worked in the San Francisco Bay Area, sourcing opportunities for investment and acquisition. |
||
|
Nels Hansen |
|
|
Nels Hansen is a partner in White & Case's Corporate/M&A practice group, based in Tokyo. He has helped clients complete hundreds of billions of dollars in completed mergers and acquisitions, hostile or contested transactions, investments and joint ventures, acting primarily for technology, media and telecommunications companies, energy-related companies and private equity and venture capital funds. He also has advised numerous targets of activist shareholder situations in the US and Japan. Advising international clients with public and private company targeted M&A in the US, Japan and Europe, and private equity and venture capital investment in Asia, Europe and the US, form the core of Mr. Hansen's practice. |
||
WEBINAR 8 | Artificial intelligence, algorithms and privacyNew platforms using AI-enhanced technology are emerging on a daily basis. What new use cases are being developed and how will they improve business solutions and deal adequately with privacy concerns? |
||
Date & Time |
Tuesday, June 6, 2023 |
|
Speakers |
|
Reed Stevenson Senior Editor, Bloomberg LP |
|
Reed Stevenson is an editor at Bloomberg News based in Tokyo. Since joining Bloomberg in San Francisco in 2012, he has focused on the technology industry, as well as corporate and investing news. Prior to that, he was a correspondent and bureau chief at Reuters at multiple locations, including Japan, Netherlands, United States and United Arab Emirates. During his career, Reed has covered business news, politics, economies, social issues and the international courts in The Hague. |
||
|
Sarai Duek |
|
|
Sarai Duek is Senior Data Privacy Solutions Engineer & Data Science Lead at a Global Tech Company, based in Tokyo. Working with businesses across all East Asia, she employs cutting edge data technologies to deliver data driven solutions in the advertising space. |
||
WEBINAR 9 | Spurring Technology DiffusionTechnology is accelerating just when most needed. But technology diffusion is too slow to address economic, climate and social needs. This session will consider the four stages of technology diffusion, some promising technologies and ways to overcome diffusion barriers. |
||
Date & Time |
Tuesday, June 20, 2023 |
|
Speaker |
|
Robert Feldman Senior Advisor to Morgan Stanley MUFG Securities Co., Ltd. and Senior Specially Appointed Professor at Tokyo University of Science |
| Robert Alan Feldman is Senior Advisor to the Research Department of Morgan Stanley MUFG Securities where he focuses on thematic research on the Japanese economy and, since 2017, serves as a Senior Specially Appointed Professor at Tokyo University of Science. He has been a member of government and private panels on growth, monetary, fiscal and structural policy. Previously, Mr. Feldman worked at the International Monetary Fund. He earned his Ph.D. in Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. | ||
Additional Information
- There is no charge to attend the webinar
- Webinar content and speakers are subject to change without notice
- This webinar is closed to media and other law firms
For inquiries, please contact White & Case Tokyo Client Relations
White & Case means the international legal practice comprising White & Case LLP, a New York State registered limited liability partnership, White & Case LLP, a limited liability partnership incorporated under English law and all other affiliated partnerships, companies and entities.
This article is prepared for the general information of interested persons. It is not, and does not attempt to be, comprehensive in nature. Due to the general nature of its content, it should not be regarded as legal advice.
© 2023 White & Case LLP
