Japan Panel

Ah, I see the light! Do you?

Finally, there is light at the end of the tunnel. After more than a decade's sluggish performance, Japanese economy, troubled by bad loans and the burst of speculative bubbles in late 80s, is finally showing signs of recovery and steady growth into the future. More companies are posting profit for the first time in years and consumer spending is on a mild rise. Yet on the other hand, deflation, aging society, and sharp appreciation of Yen against US dollar cast shadows on Japan's road to healthy recovery. These issues outline the current business environment in Japan and pose great challenges to companies conducting business in Japan.

This year on the Japan Panel, we are honored to have Delphi and GE as our panelists. Through panel discussions, we hope to provide our audience with a rare opportunity to learn more about how foreign companies have evolved and how their business practices have changed in Japan over the past decade. How did they adjust their strategies during the recession to respond to intensified competition and stagnant demand? How did they develop their business relations with local partners and customers to strengthen their position in the economy? What is their outlook on the business prospect in Japan and have they identified any newly emerged opportunities that they can leverage?

Both Delphi and GE have established strong presence in Japan. Delphi, the largest automobile component supplier in the world, has successfully penetrated into Japanese automotive industry characterized as Keiretsu, built close relations with prominent Japanese car makers and has been providing them with superior products and solutions. GE views Japan as a vital market only second to the US market in the world and have long-established operations in Japan, ranging from advanced raw materials to home appliances. Their attendance on the panel will no doubt help the audience learn more about the unique Japanese business environment and give the audience a first-hand elaboration on their strategies and practices.

Arif Iqball
Asia Pacific Regional Planning Director, Delphi Corporation

Arif Iqball is the Regional Planning Director for Delphi Corporation in the Asia Pacific (AP) region, spanning 13 countries from India to China to Japan to Australia. Currently he leads a variety of strategic planning activities including AP business and customer strategy development and implementation. Prior to this assignment, Arif was the Chief Financial Officer and Administration Director for Delphi Japan.

Arif began his professional career in 1990 at Ford Motor Company's Safety Laboratories Department in Dearborn, Michigan as a Test Engineer restaging automobile accidents for safety and legal compliance issues. He then worked on developmental assignments across a variety of functions in Engineering and Strategic Planning. In 1993, Arif obtained the first of a series of fellowships to study in/about Japan as part of the Japan Technology Management program at the University of Michigan. Arif returned to Japan in 1995 with Ford as a member of the first Ford/Mazda joint/co-located finance team at Mazda Headquarters in Hiroshima working on transferring cost control practices from Ford to Mazda. In 1996, He returned to the US assuming various positions in Finance for Chassis System Division.

In 1999 Arif joined Delphi as the Asia-Pacific Senior Finance Manager, and returned to Japan working for the Energy and Chassis Division where he supported the growth of the division from five to seventeen entities across many countries. During that period, he also served on the Board of Director on Delphi Xiaoshang Joint Venture in China. In 2002, Arif was appointed country CFO for Japan and was given additional responsibilities as Administration Director, and Six Sigma Deployment Champion in 2003.

Arif earned a diploma in Aircraft Maintenance from Northrop University, a Bachelors of Science Cum Laude in Mechanical Engineering from Clemson University, a Masters in Manufacturing Engineering from Northwestern University, a Masters in Asian Studies and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Michigan. Arif also attended the Executive Development Program, and is a Wharton Fellow at the Wharton School of Business. He is fluent in English, Japanese, Urdu and Hindi, and can also read/write Arabic.

Cynthia Tragge-Lakra
Global Director, Commercial Leadership & Development, GE Corp.

Cynthia Tragge-Lakra is responsible for developing marketing & sales talent, skills and capabilities across General Electric. She created and leads GE's Commercial Leadership Programs, commercial training efforts and manages the overall talent pipeline for the functions. She is a member of GE's Commercial Council that is charged with driving the culture change to a more customer-centric and growth oriented company.

Cynthia has been involved with global leadership development and learning much of her career. She has over 11 years of increasing responsibility as a leader in GE including roles in Executive Development with succession and strategic organizational planning, Latin America driving emerging market expansion, and HR partnership roles in Service, IT and Manufacturing. Cynthia has worked in five different GE businesses and is an alumni of GE's Human Resource Leadership Program and Corporate Audit Staff.

Prior to joining GE she has held both sales and business development roles in her career. She has worked in Beijing, China for the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and for Success Motivation International in Fukuoka, Japan. In addition, she has spent several years in the U.S. telecommunications industry managing a private company including several call centers.

Cynthia holds a MBA in International Business, a MA in Asian Studies and a BA in Chinese Politics from the University of Michigan.

John Creighton Campbell (Moderator)
Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Michigan

John Creighton Campbell has taught Japanese politics at Michigan since 1973. His recent work has centered on social policy, including health care and long-term care. His books include Contemporary Japanese Budget Politics, How Policies Change: The Japanese Government and the Aging Society, and (with Naoki Ikegami), The Art of Balance in Health Policy: Maintaining Japan's Low-Cost, Egalitarian System.