From Japan to the World – A Bold Initiative by IESE’s Japan Business Club
Written by Taisuke Ojima and Naoyuki Mayumi, MBA 2025
Introduction
Since arriving at IESE, we’ve been struck by how much global interest there is in Japanese culture – from sushi and anime to Toyota Production System. Over 100 classmates join our Japan Trek each year, showing just how deep that interest runs. But beyond cultural exports, we wanted to spotlight Japan’s strength as a global economic player. Our goal was to create meaningful connections between Japanese companies and the IESE community. That’s how the “From Japan to the World” case competition was born. Among the companies we approached, NTT DATA Spain – part of the NTT Group-enthusiastically agreed to partner with us.
About the NTT Group
NTT (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone) dates back to 1868 and has grown into a global telecom and IT giant, operating in over 70 countries with 340,000+ employees – about half outside Japan. While headquartered in Tokyo, NTT emphasizes autonomy and empowers local leadership. NTT DATA in Barcelona (formerly Everis) serves clients across Spain and Latin America with consulting and IT solutions. Taisuke, one of the organizers, worked at NTT Communications for nearly 10 years before coming to IESE for his MBA on company sponsorship.
Designing the Case Competition
To attract top students and ensure real engagement, we proposed a paid internship opportunity – potentially leading to a full-time offer – for the winning team. We also co-hosted the event with IESE’s Consulting and Energy Clubs, boosting visibility and interest. Ultimately, five first-year teams (20+ students) signed up. The case focused on sustainable fuels and challenged teams to propose strategic collaboration models that covered the entire value chain, from farmers and crushers to sustainable fuel producers – including feedstock choice, partnership structures, and profitability.
Despite the tight, post-midterm timeline, all the teams delivered high-quality work.
Case Competition Day
The beautiful view from the NTT Data Barcelona office.
On March 10, 2025, the final presentations took place at NTT DATA’s Barcelona office in Poblenou. A tour of the building – especially the top-floor cafeteria with Mediterranean views – gave students a glimpse into the company’s employee-first culture. The judging panel included several NTT DATA partners and directors. Notably, Evgeny Pesotskiy (IESE EMBA 2023), a director, led the initiative from the company’s side. All teams impressed with well-researched, strategic proposals. The winning team, “From IESE to the World,” secured a guaranteed internship – marking the first time NTT DATA welcomes IESE MBAs for a summer role. We’re excited to see what’s next!
Voices from Participants
“My experience with the NTT case competition was truly amazing. The support we received from the NTT team throughout was incredibly valuable. More than anything, I found great teammates who became friends – making it not just a learning experience, but a really memorable one. I’m now genuinely looking forward to joining NTT this summer!”
“The NTT Data competition was a great experience for several reasons. First, I felt very welcomed by the NTT team, who explained to us the task and were very open to answer all our questions. We even had an additional Q&A session to make sure we were going in the right direction in our work. Secondly, the case was about Regenerative Agriculture, which was completely new to all of us. We now can have a confident conversation about the topic. Lastly and more importantly, the team became very close during the process after the long days of hard work and some fun in between. Thank you for the opportunity. It was one of the best learning experiences in the MBA!”
“I participated in NTT Data’s Case Competition because I was eager to tackle a strategic challenge at the intersection of Energy, Supply Chain, and Strategy. With little prior knowledge of the energy sector, I saw this as a great opportunity to learn. The experience exceeded my expectations as I not only researched and learned a lot about the industry but also discovered more about the amazing work NTT Data does and had a fantastic time collaborating with my team to develop a solution.”
“Participating in the NTT Data competition was an incredibly enriching experience. It gave me valuable insights into topics I previously knew little about, particularly in oil refinery and agriculture. I truly enjoyed diving deeper into these industries and expanding my knowledge. Additionally, the team spirit throughout the competition played a huge role in my learning. Collaborating with others not only made the experience more enjoyable but also helped me grow both personally and professionally. I’m grateful for the opportunity and would highly recommend it to anyone eager to challenge themselves and learn something new.”
All the participants had an amazing learning experience!
Conclusion
As our first major initiative as the Japan Business Club, we are proud to have successfully created a meaningful bridge between a Japanese global corporation and IESE MBA community.
This project would not have been possible without the invaluable support of many contributors. From the Class of 2026: Reo Uetoko, Xingjia Chen, and Takahiro Iwano; from the Class of 2025: Yasunobu Shiji and Satofumi Ushigami. We also extend special thanks to Armando Rodriguez and Shohei Mine from the Energy Club, Gloria Tan from the Consulting Club, and Benjamin and Steph from IESE’s administration for their support in planning and logistics.
Importantly, this event was only the “first edition.” We believe it has the potential to grow into something even larger – perhaps one day involving other top business schools around the world. Let this be just the beginning!
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Great insights into the innovative solutions developed! Inspiring to see the next generation tackling real-world business challenges.