In the world of classical music, few institutions carry the weight of history and prestige like the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Paris. Alongside the Juilliard School in New York and the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, it stands as one of the world’s most revered music schools—an elite training ground for generations of top artists.

Founded in 1795 during the French Revolution, the Conservatoire de Paris traces its roots back to 1669, when Louis XIV established the Royal Academy of Music. Originally housed in the Palace of Versailles as a school for vocal and dramatic arts, it has since become one of the most respected institutions for higher music education. With alumni like Claude Debussy and Georges Bizet, it has served as a model for music academies around the world.

On a spring afternoon in Paris, the Conservatoire’s campus in La Villette Park was filled with the energy of young musicians from around the world. Among them was Bilal Alnemr, a Syrian-born violinist whose path to the Conservatoire has been nothing short of extraordinary.

Alnemr received a Sylff fellowship in 2019 and 2020 while working toward a master’s degree in classical instrumental music. But his journey began far from the concert halls of Europe—in the war-ravaged streets of Damascus.

“It’s been a series of miracles,” Alnemr says, reflecting on the path that brought him here.

A Toy Violin and a Father’s Faith

Alnemr’s earliest memory of music is a toy violin, gifted to him as a baby by his father, a passionate lover of music. The toy did not produce any sound, but the young boy’s relentless attempts to make it sing revealed a spark of talent. Noticing this, his father spent three months’ worth of the family’s living expenses to buy a real violin for his three-year-old son.

From that moment, music became Alnemr’s world. While other children played outside, he practiced in the basement of a local music school. At night, his father climbed onto the roof to adjust their satellite dish, tuning into French classical broadcasts at a time when access to international broadcast was prohibited by the Assad regime. He recorded the music onto DVDs, which became Bilal’s teachers.

In 2007, at age 11, Alnemr won Syria’s national competition for young musicians. His prize: a blue Sony Walkman. “That’s why I feel a special connection to Japan,” he says with a smile.

A Rising Star in Exile

Alnemr’s talent quickly gained recognition. After winning Syria’s Solhi Al-Wadi International Competition, he began performing across the Middle East and beyond—in India, Russia, Qatar, Jordan, and Lebanon.

Then, in 2010, a French music teacher offered him a life-changing opportunity: admission to the Darius Milhaud Conservatory of Music in Aix-en-Provence. At just 13, Alnemr left Syria alone to pursue his dream.

But within a year, the Arab Spring ignited a brutal civil war in Syria. Alnemr was stranded in France, unable to return home or see his family. He practiced relentlessly, often from early morning until evening, driven by both ambition and heartbreak.

His dedication paid off, as he was unanimously accepted into the Conservatoire de Paris in 2013. A year later, he was named solo violinist for the Mediterranean Youth Orchestra. His performances caught the attention of renowned French violinist Renaud Capuçon, and Alnemr began winning international competitions.

In 2021, with the help of a Sylff fellowship, he earned his master’s degree from the Conservatoire, cementing his place among the world’s rising stars.

Music as a Bridge for Peace

Alnemr’s artistry is matched by his humanitarian vision. In 2019, he joined the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, founded by conductor Daniel Barenboim and scholar Edward Said to unite young musicians from Israel and Arab states. The orchestra, which performed in the Israeli-occupied West Bank city of Ramallah and was honored by Japan’s Praemium Imperiale international art prize, stands as a symbol of coexistence through music.

That same year, Alnemr performed alongside legendary opera singer and human rights activist Barbara Hendricks at a UNHCR concert in Geneva, supporting education for Syrian refugee children in Lebanon.

In 2021, after collaborations with Barenboim, Capuçon, and pianist Hélène Grimaud, Alnemr was officially recognized by the French government for his cultural contributions and granted French citizenship.

A Family Reunited

In 2016, five years after the war began, Alnemr was finally reunited with his family. His parents and sister arrived in the idyllic village of Vauvenargues near Aix-en-Provence carrying only two suitcases. The village, nestled beneath Mont Sainte-Victoire—immortalized by Cézanne and home to Picasso’s tomb—became their sanctuary.

To thank the community, Alnemr held a classical concert there in July 2022. The music of Beethoven and Mendelssohn echoed through the village’s cobbled streets, a tribute to resilience and gratitude.

“I’m deeply grateful to Japan and the Tokyo Foundation,” he says. “I’ll never forget the support I received.”

A Voice for Syria

Though the Assad regime collapsed in December 2024, Syria remains unstable, plagued by violence, factional conflict, and humanitarian crisis. In response, Alnemr co-founded a nonprofit in Switzerland to promote musical exchange between Syria and the international community.

“As a ‘citizen musician,’ I want to help bring peace and stability to my homeland,” he says.

From a silent toy violin in Damascus to standing ovations in Europe’s grandest halls, Bilal Alnemr’s story is a testament to the power of music—and the human spirit. (Compiled by Noburu Okabe)

Translated from an article originally published on the Tokyo Foundation’s Japanese website

Indonesia faces serious water-related challenges, with contaminated drinking water contributing to the deaths of over 10% of children under five due to diarrheal diseases. The situation is especially dire in Bali, where untreated sewage, household and business waste, and massive amounts of plastic pollution severely degrade water quality in rivers and coastal waters.

A promising solution is emerging from Terra Water Indonesia, a mission-driven startup producing high-quality water filters made entirely from natural and locally sourced materials. These filters not only eliminate the need for plastic water bottles but also provide safe water to vulnerable households.

Bridging Innovation and Impact

Cody Steverson, a graduate research assistant at the University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business, spent two months interning at Terra with the help of a Sylff fellowship. On August 7, 2025, he visited the Sylff Association secretariat in Tokyo on his way back to campus for the fall semester.

“Many people think of Bali as a paradise, but it’s grappling with a massive water problem,” Steverson explains. “Most people rely on plastic bottles that have sitting in the heat all day or boil water before drinking, which wastes a lot of energy.”

Terra’s affordable and highly effective pot filters, made from clay, activated carbon, and colloidal silver allow users to purify water from almost any freshwater source—taps, wells, rivers, rainwater, or even rice paddies.

“For a typical Indonesian family that usually buys bottled water, the lower end models would pay for themselves in just two months,” Steverson notes.

Despite the product’s effectiveness, Terra faced a major hurdle: lack of awareness. “People didn’t know we existed. They’d never seen anything like our filters before.”

Building Credibility through Partnerships

Launched in 2020, the Bali-based startup operates with a hybrid business model blending nonprofit and for-profit strategies. It collaborates with a network of organizations to identify and deliver filters to families in need.

“Businesses partnering with us would purchase, say, twenty water filters, which we would then distribute to local villages,” Steverson explains. “We basically waited for sales to come to us.” The filters have been rigorously tested by multiple universities and the Indonesian Ministry of Health, proving to be highly effective in eliminating waterborne diseases. However, this success had not been clearly communicated to the public.

To address this, Steverson focused on building strategic partnerships with local entities that already had strong credibility. “I negotiated with a Michelin-star restaurant and got them to start using our filters. The chef is now a huge fan of Terra, and this should bring a lot of brand awareness and open a brand-new market.”

He also partnered with a hotel that now highlights the filters as part of its sustainability efforts, and he reached out to the Makadaya Foundation—a major Indonesian startup accelerator with whom Terra did not have a relationship—which agreed to purchase eight filters.

Creating Lasting Impact

At the end of his two-month internship, Steverson represented Terra at a TEDx event in Jakarta. “I was able to meet a lot of people there who were curious about the filters—and also about the only American in the room,” he recalls. “Everybody’s aware of the water problem, but no one had a viable solution. It was incredibly rewarding to know that I was able to make impact and help raise awareness.”

Beyond strengthening Terra’s ties with local businesses—many of which are foreign-owned—Steverson also laid the groundwork for future collaboration between sustainability-focused startups in Bali and internationally minded students at the University of Texas.

His experience as the sole non-Indonesian staff member at Terra Water Indonesia highlights his commitment to social impact through collaboration. The Sylff Association secretariat applauds his dedication to earth-friendly, human-centered solutions and wishes him continued success in his future endeavors. (Compiled by Nozomu Kawamoto)

On June 27, the Sylff Association secretariat had the pleasure of hosting Josephine Wolff from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, where she holds multiple roles: associate professor of cybersecurity policy, associate professor of computer science and engineering, and director of the Hitachi Center for Technology and International Affairs.

A leading expert in both computer science and technology policy, Wolff was visiting Japan to engage with cybersecurity professionals—meeting with defense officials at the National Institute for Defense Studies, holding discussions with specialists at the University of Tokyo, and reconnecting with many Fletcher alumni.

“Japan is one of our biggest sources of international students,” Wolff noted, “and I’ve spent the week visiting our former students who’re now working in the Japanese government and industry.”

Fletcher offers an interdisciplinary program that equips students with both technological literacy and a strong foundation in public policy—skills that are increasingly vital in combating cybercrime. Wolff highlighted that several Japanese alumni of the program are now spearheading a police task force focused on online scams targeting the elderly and other types of financial fraud.

Navigating the Complex Landscape of Cyber Threats

Cyberattacks with significant social impact are rapidly becoming a national security concern for governments worldwide. “Online fraud isn’t just about theft,” she explained. “Sometimes, money is being stolen to fund programs like North Korea’s weapons development. Ransomware has also been linked to financing hostile states, posing threats to the entire system of economic statecraft.”

Wolff cautions, though, against framing such incidents in overly militaristic terms. “Using language like ‘gray war’ can escalate a situation unnecessarily. Once you label something as war, it demands a very specific set of responses. My interest is in getting away from that language and focusing on what would be a more proportional response.”

She argues, for instance, that Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election would fall short of acts of war. “That doesn’t mean it’s not serious or that we don’t need to respond to it. But if the threat is about manipulating people’s ideas, we don’t need to involve the armed forces.” Instead, she says, efforts should be made to enhance media literacy, provide tools for online safety, and seek accountability from the big platforms.

Threats to Infrastructure and the Policy Response

There are operations, however, that feel closer to a prelude to war. “The main threat from China is not influence operations,” she emphasizes. “We’re more worried about potential attacks on critical infrastructure, and this calls for a very different set of protections.”

A military response would be considered only in the event of a truly severe incident, however. “If all the power in the United States were shut down, we would regard that as an act of war. But we’re not going to start dropping bombs if a website gets defaced.”

There can be many possible responses if a pipeline is shut off or the water supply is disrupted, including economic sanctions. “But this is a very challenging area for policymakers, because nobody is really clear on where the threshold is.”

As the internet of things continues to expand, Wolff warns of the growing risk of cyberattacks affecting physical systems. “With more devices connected and decisions outsourced to artificial intelligence, attacks could affect not just your laptop or phone; cars and ships might crash due to tampered navigation systems. This goes beyond the typical scope of ransomware.”

Despite these concerns, Wolff remains cautiously optimistic. “We should take some comfort in the fact that we haven’t yet seen the catastrophic cybercrimes we often fear. We’ve watched Russia fight a war for years now without being able to shut down Ukraine’s power grid. Honestly, I think Russia would have done so by now if they could, so that’s not a small victory.”

The Sylff Association secretariat deeply appreciates Wolff’s visit and is encouraged by the high level of expertise within the Sylff community—not only in advanced technology but also in shaping effective public policy. We look forward to welcoming more fellows and other visitors from Sylff institutions in the future. (Compiled by Nozomu Kawamoto)

Following his attendance at the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice, France, held from June 9 to 13, 2025, Sylff Association Chairman Yohei Sasakawa visited the Albanian capital of Tirana.

There, Chairman Sasakawa met with Albanian President Bajram Begaj, Prime Minister Edi Rama, and Foreign Minister Igli Hasani. At a luncheon hosted by Japanese Ambassador to Albania Kikuko Kato, he also reconnected with Odeta Barbullushi, a 2003 Sylff fellowship recipient at the University of Sussex, where she earned a master’s degree with honors in contemporary European studies.

Chairman Sasakawa with Sussex fellow Odeta Barbullushi, a guest at a luncheon hosted by Japanese Ambassador Kikuko Kato.

Barbullushi is currently a resident professor at the Tirana campus of the College of Europe. She is a foreign policy expert and former diplomat, she has served as sherpa and advisor to the Albanian prime minister on EU integration and regional cooperation, as well as deputy minister of foreign affairs and chief of cabinet to the minister for Europe and foreign affairs.

Sasakawa with other participants of a UNOC3 meeting with UN Secretary-General Guterres, center.

At UNOC3, Chairman Sasakawa delivered a speech during Ocean Action Panel 2 on the theme: “Increasing Ocean-Related Scientific Cooperation, Knowledge, Capacity Building, Marine Technology and Education to Strengthen the Science-Policy Interface for Ocean Health.” He also attended a meeting with US Secretary-General António Guterres.

Sasakawa receives a doctor honoris causa from Western Balkans University President Ferdinand Gjana.

In Tirana, Chairman Sasakawa was awarded an honorary doctorate from Western Balkans University “in recognition of his visionary leadership and extraordinary contribution to global well-being, social inclusion, and human dignity.” He delivered an “emotional and inspiring” speech recounting his life journey—from a childhood marked by loss and postwar hardship to a lifelong commitment to humanitarian causes and the protection of human dignity.

Chairman Sasakawa was warmly welcomed by Norwegian Foreign Minister and Oslo Fellow Espen Barth Eide at the June 3 reception.

Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide, a Sylff fellowship recipient at the University of Oslo, met with Sylff Association Chairman Yohei Sasakawa on June 3 at a reception in Tokyo honoring his visit to Japan.

Earlier that day, Minister Eide held talks with Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Takeshi Iwaya. Marking the 120th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Norway, the two ministers reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation in security—including developments in Ukraine and the Middle East—economic ties, and people-to-people exchange. They also welcomed progress in green initiatives, such as offshore wind power generation projects.

Eide, who received his Sylff fellowship in 1994, was leading a delegation to Expo 2025 in Osaka, where, on June 2, Norway’s National Day was celebrated at the National Day Hall and Nordic Pavilion.

Tiina Airaksinen of the University of Helsinki, center, is flanked on her right by Mari Suzuki and Aya Kasahara of the Sylff Association secretariat and on her left by Miki Futagawa, director of the Scandinavia-Japan Sasakawa Foundation, and Nozomu Kawamoto of the secretariat.

The Sylff Association secretariat was delighted to welcome Tiina Airaksinen, chair of the Sylff steering committee at the University of Helsinki and vice-dean for academic affairs, to the Tokyo Foundation’s office on May 22. Airaksinen was visiting Japan with her husband, Harri Tirkkonen, marking her first trip to the country in 15 years—her last being as part of a faculty exchange program at Waseda University.

At the University of Helsinki, Sylff fellowships are awarded annually to two PhD students—typically in their second or third year—conducting full-time research in Asian and African studies, international relations, or social and cultural anthropology.

“We receive more and more outstanding applications every year,” Airaksinen noted. “Sylff is highly competitive at Helsinki, as it offers €25,000 annually—making it the university’s most generous scholarship.”

Over the past two years under Airaksinen’s leadership, the Sylff program at Helsinki has achieved dynamic growth, with updates to its website and renewed outreach to fellows and alumni. “I now regularly meet with both current fellows and alumni to share new opportunities through Sylff,” she explained. “It’s important that we stay connected—our community is very active.”

A scholar of Asian studies, Airaksinen is currently conducting comparative research on the experiences of Asian migrants in Finland and Japan—two democracies facing aging populations. She also highlighted the strong interest in Japan among Helsinki students: “Japanese is the second most popular foreign language after English. Students are drawn to Japan not only because of manga and anime but also due to its democratic values, economic influence, and positive global image.”

Airaksinen sees potential for deeper collaboration between Finland and Japan. “Both countries have a strong respect for nature,” she said. “It would be wonderful to organize a symposium, either in-person or online, on sustainability or other topics centered on enhancing happiness and quality of life.”

Airaksinen presents a gift to Tokyo Foundation Executive Director Suzuki.

The Sylff Association secretariat was pleased to reconnect with Airaksinen, having met her and many Sylff fellows in Helsinki in September 2024, and looks forward to further collaboration in building a vibrant Sylff community.

On May 12, 2025, the Institute of Political Education “Pedro Arrupe” held an online fellows orientation meeting for its three newly selected Sylff fellows, joined by members of the Sylff Association secretariat.

Meeting participants included (top row, left to right) fellow Alessio Castiglione, secretariat members Aya Kasahara and Konatsu Furuya, Tokyo Foundation Executive Director Mari Suzuki, (middle row, left to right) fellow Mirco Vannoni, SSC Chair Massimo Massaro, secretariat member Nozomu Kawamoto, and (bottom row) fellow Valerio Lombino.

The Sylff program at the Institute—called the Idea-Action Research Program—supports young researchers conducting academic and personal inquiries aimed at making tangible social impact, particularly in Sicily, where the Institute is located.

In his opening remarks, the Institute’s Sylff Steering Committee Chair Massimo Massaro, himself a former fellowship recipient, thanked the Tokyo Foundation “for continuing to believe in our work and our research.” Reflecting on his own experience, he said “Sylff is like a family to me, enabling me to grow both professionally and personally. I’ve done my best to give others the same opportunity that the Foundation and the Institute gave me many years ago.”

Massaro emphasized the program’s commitment to social change. “The research funded by Sylff is very important for us because it is an investment in human capital. The focus is not just on academic excellence but also on applying scientific knowledge to find concrete solutions to real-world issues and on pushing ourselves to be socially and politically engaged.”

The three fellows for fical 2025—Alessio Castiglione, Valerio Lombino, and Mirco Vannoni—then presented their research projects.

Alessio Castiglione is exploring how grassroots storytelling and community-based art can foster social inclusion and urban regeneration. Combining psychology, pedagogy, and urban sociology, his research focuses on participatory creative practices in Palermo that encourage active citizenship and democratic engagement. As a Sylff fellow, he will map storytelling communities, conduct qualitative fieldwork, and develop a theoretical framework linking creative expression to urban governance. His leadership is demonstrated through initiatives like the Newbookclub, which turns public spaces into inclusive cultural forums. Castiglione aims to inspire scalable models of community-led development and contribute to inclusive policymaking.

Valerio Lombino is a cultural manager and scholar specializing in participatory archival practices and the preservation of community heritage in Palermo. With a track record of inclusive leadership in curatorial programming and cultural project design, he has championed broader access to heritage and amplified underrepresented voices. As a Sylff fellow, Lombino will conduct a transdisciplinary literature review, attend conferences, publish scholarly articles, and lead seminars on archival activism. His vision includes empowering communities to co-author their cultural narratives through sustainable, community-led archival models rooted in collaboration and shared leadership.

Mirco Vannoni brings a background in cultural studies and social advocacy, focusing on issues of homelessness, incarceration, and cultural exclusion. His work with incarcerated individuals and marginalized communities has deepened his understanding of how cultural institutions, such as museums, can alienate the most vulnerable. His Sylff project will include seminars, comparative research, academic publishing, and conference participation exploring poverty, social exclusion, and cultural participation. Vannoni’s leadership includes co-founding social justice festivals and coordinating interdisciplinary European projects. His action-oriented research and commitment to inclusive cultural policy exemplify the kind of socially engaged leadership that Sylff seeks to foster.

The orientation meeting offered a glimpse into the fellows’ research goals and their shared desire to improve the lives of individuals and communities in Sicily. We are delighted to welcome the new “Pedro Arrupe” fellows into the Sylff community and look forward to supporting them as they advance their work at the intersection of scholarship and social impact.

The three Idea-Action fellows for fiscal 2025 are, from left, Alessio Castiglione, Valerio Lombino, and Mirco Vannoni.

On the morning of Wednesday, May 14, 2025, the Tokyo Foundation received an unexpected but welcome phone call. Mikel Jauregi Letemendia, a 1998 Sylff fellow from the University of Deusto and currently Minister of Industry, Energy Transition, and Sustainability in the Basque Government of Spain, wished to stop by for a courtesy visit and word of thanks.

At the Foundation’s office, Jauregi was warmly received by Sylff Association Chairman Yohei Sasakawa and Tokyo Foundation President Mieko Nakabayashi.

Basque Minister Mikel Jauregi being welcomed by Sylff Association Chairman Yohei Sasakawa.

Appointed to his ministerial post under the Imanol Pradales administration in June 2024, Minister Jauregi was in Japan as part of an economic cooperation initiative rooted in the 2019 Memorandum of Understanding between the Basque Government and Fukushima Prefecture to promote collaboration in renewable energy.

During the visit, he reflected on his longstanding ties with Japan through the Sylff community. He participated in a Sylff Regional Forum in the early 2000s and was a member of the Sylff Fellows Council, through which he visited Japan and developed a deep appreciation for its culture—especially memorable were his experiences in Hakone.

Professionally, Jauregi built a distinguished career in the private energy sector, working with firms such as PwC, BP, and Centrica, and was based in London before receiving a call from the Basque Government to take up the ministerial post—a request he accepted in part out of a sense of gratitude for the support he received as a Sylff fellow.

As Minister, Jauregi has focused on strengthening partnerships between the Basque Government and industrial clusters, technology centers, and private-sector firms to enhance the region’s economic competitiveness. In October 2024, he led a delegation to Japan and Taiwan to showcase the Basque Country’s capabilities in industry, technology, and innovation.

“Sylff played a major role in shaping who I am,” he said during the visit. “Now, I want to use my experience to give back to society.”

The Sylff Association secretariat was honored by Minister Jauregi’s visit and proud to see a former fellow embodying Sylff’s mission through a life of professional excellence and public service.

The Sylff Association secretariat was honored to welcome Jozef Tancer and Lucia Vilcekova of Comenius University in Bratislava on April 24. Their visit was part of a broader delegation of nearly 50 Slovak academics organized by the Slovak Ministry of Education, Research, Development, and Youth to deepen and forge new ties with Japanese institutions.

Tancer is the vice-rector for international relations at Comenius and chair of the university’s Sylff steering committee. A noted expert in German language and history, he also heads the Department of German, Dutch, and Scandinavian Studies in the Faculty of the Arts. Vilcekova is the vice-dean for international relations in the Faculty of Management.

In addition to visiting the Tokyo Foundation, they also met with various academic and institutional partners in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Hiroshima.

Comenius University Vice-Rector Jozef Tancer, seated right, and Lucia Vilcekova, along with members of the Sylff Association secretariat.

Comenius University is a new scheme Sylff institution, providing fellowships to full-time PhD students in the Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Management, and Faculty of Social and Economic Sciences. The fellowships are primarily used to support international research, conference attendance, and publication in peer-reviewed academic journals—all of which are critical for building academic credibility during doctoral training.

“Many of our Slovak students look for mobility opportunities abroad, even if just for one semester,” says Tancer. “One of the advantages of our faculty is that we offer around 60 courses each semester in English, including full degree program, which makes it easy for us to receive students from abroad.”

Vilčeková adds that Sylff helps students to showcase their research on international platforms: “Even when their research is focused on domestic issues, it would be a pity if their findings are known only in Slovakia.”

Comenius is also making efforts to attract more foreign students, which is particularly important given Slovakia’s relatively small size—its total population is roughly one-third that of Tokyo. Tancer believes that international exchange and multilingualism are essential to a well-rounded education.

“In the past, being able to read English, German, and French was part of what it meant to be an educated person.” He notes, however, that the COVID-19 pandemic had an alarming impact on students’ well-being. “Many PhD students became isolated, and around 30 to 40 percent reported mental health issues. Even after returning to campus, many struggled with in-person lectures, discussions, and workshops.”

This shift has also affected communication skills. “When we hire new staff in my department, we often ask candidates to make a short phone call. For many young people, that can be a real challenge—they’re used to writing emails or texting messages but not speaking directly.”

Despite these challenges, Comenius continues to cultivate globally minded scholars and professionals. Past Sylff fellows from the university have gone on to distinguished careers in politics, government, academia, the private sector, and civil society. One such fellow is Milan Šagát (2005), managing director of ČERVENÝ NOS Clowndoctors, an organization that uses the art of clowning to support the emotional well-being of hospitalized children and seniors.

©ČERVENÝ NOS Clowndoctors

The Sylff Association secretariat applauds Comenius University’s commitment to internationalization, multilingual education, and student well-being. These efforts reflect the core values of the Sylff Mission: to nurture leaders who transcend differences in language, nationality, and political systems to bring about positive social change in global society and the local community.

On Aprill 22, the Sylff Association secretariat had the honor of welcoming two distinguished visitors from INSEAD, a globally renowned business school, during their visit to Tokyo as part of their relationship building efforts in Japan.

Ben M. Bensaou, professor in technology management and Asian business and comparative management, and John Wei Zheng, associate director of INSEAD’s Asia Campus, were in Tokyo to engage with the institute’s many influential alumni in the Japanese business community and to meet with partner institutions and foundations.

INSEAD’s Ben Bensaou, left, and John Wei Zheng at the Tokyo Foundation’s office.

Bensaou emphasized the significant role fellowship programs can play in career development, drawing from his own experience as a Rotary International fellowship recipient in 1981. He visited Japan under the scholarship—an opportunity, he says, that “completely changed my life.” Now fluent in Japanese, he went on to earn an MA in management science from Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo and has also taught at Aoyama Gakuin University and Keio Business School.

He also highlighted the value of having alumni with diverse expertise in different regions around the world. “This broad network helps people to support each other in becoming even better leaders in their fields,” he explained.  

Zheng, meanwhile, noted that INSEAD has close to a thousand alumni in Japan, including prominent figures like Tsunehiro Nakayama, former chairman of Merrill Lynch Japan and current chairman of the highly esteemed Tokyo Club, and Satoshi Koyama, senior vice-president and chief operating officer for mineral resources at Mitsubishi Corp., who serves as president of the alumni association.

“We hope to leverage the strong networks these alumni have in the Japanese business community to boost INSEAD’s profile here,” Zheng added. “Like Sylff, we prioritize staying connected with our alumni, meeting with them, and inviting faculty to speak at alumni association meetings.”

Bensaou served as the keynote speaker at this year’s INSEAD alumni event, which followed the meeting at the Tokyo Foundation. He shared valuable insights on how to build continuous innovation into the fabric of an organization—be it in the private sector or civil society. His lecture drew on material from his critically acclaimed 2021 book Built to Innovate, whose Japanese translation was just published in February.

The Sylff Association secretariat shares INSEAD’s enthusiasm for actively engaging with alumni, recognizing that the leadership demonstrated by fellows in addressing social issues best demonstrates and enhances the value of a Sylff fellowship.

Bensaou presents a signed, Japanese-translation copy of "Built to Innovate" to the Sylff secretariat staff.