In Booth’s Sokolov Executive MBA Program, Taku is gaining a strong foundation of knowledge while building a lifelong community.
- By
- September 05, 2025
- Executive MBA - Community
Meet Taku Yasuda
As an experienced manager for a major consulting firm, Taku Yasuda has a strong track record of leading projects for large firms, helping them craft strategies on where to play, how to win, and how to realize a new business. When he decided to go back to school to gain an investor’s perspective for new business creation as well, Chicago Booth’s Sokolov Executive MBA Program in Hong Kong was a natural choice.
We connected with Taku to learn more about why he chose Booth, how the EMBA Program is supporting his career goals, and how he’s balancing coursework with parenting duties for his newborn son.
Where were you in your career before you applied to Booth?
I was working as a manager at Monitor Deloitte, the strategy practice of Deloitte Consulting in Japan, leading corporate entrepreneurship projects for large manufacturing and technology companies. I supported clients across the full process of new business creation—from defining their aspirations to figuring out how to realize their ideas.
Why did you decide to pursue an Executive MBA?
I knew I needed to strengthen a couple of key areas to keep growing and make a greater impact in driving corporate innovation.
First, my experience has been mostly from the perspective of a business creator—working closely with clients to design and launch new businesses. To provide more comprehensive support, I also needed to develop an investor’s perspective to help evaluate and fund new ideas more strategically.
Second, I have built most of my career within Japan, and I’m not a native English speaker. To lead global initiatives in the future, I felt it was essential to broaden my worldview and build a strong international foundation and network.
Given these goals, an Executive MBA was the ideal format. Rather than stepping away from my career for two years in a full-time MBA program, the EMBA allows me to continue growing professionally while applying what I learn in real time. It was the perfect fit for my current stage of career and life.
What factors played into your decision to attend Booth?
Booth is globally recognized for its strengths in finance, including venture capital. I knew the courses would provide the frameworks and analytical skills I needed to evaluate new business opportunities more strategically.
I was especially impressed that Booth is the only M7 (top US business school) with its own independent campus in Asia. That means I can continue my career in Japan while gaining a more global mindset and building a strong international network.
In addition, speaking with alumni and the admission team gave me confidence that Booth’s culture strongly aligns with my own values.
What are some highlights of your experience so far?
One important highlight is the depth of learning I’ve experienced through the Chicago Approach—not only from the professors and course materials, but also through discussions with classmates who have strong backgrounds in finance and analytical thinking. Learning how to approach problems based on data and facts, and applying that mindset in case discussions, has given me many new perspectives that I wouldn’t have discovered on my own.
Some of what I’ve learned has already helped in my daily work. But more importantly, I believe these experiences will continue to compound over time, adding deep value to both my career and my life.
How are you balancing school with work and family?
Balancing work, school, and family is certainly not easy, but the support I’ve received from my classmates has been incredible. My first son was born in April, during my first year in the program. Many of my classmates are already parents and have shared practical advice about time management and mindset. They’ve also been incredibly understanding—during group projects and exam periods, we support each other and adjust workloads based on individual circumstances. It’s a true sense of community.
In what ways is Booth supporting your specific career goals?
My career goal is to lead corporate innovation and contribute to meaningful social transformation—not only within Japan, but through global collaboration as well.
As one of the world’s top business schools, Chicago Booth provides an ideal environment to support this vision. I’ve been able to gain structured knowledge both from an investor’s perspective and across critical areas such as corporate strategy, organizational change, and leadership—all of which are directly relevant to driving new business creation.
In addition, Booth has given me access to an incredible global network. I truly value the opportunity to build deep relationships—not just professionally, but personally—with people who may become future business partners, investors, clients, or lifelong friends.
I’m confident that both the knowledge and the network I’ve gained at Booth will continue to support my career well beyond graduation. Joining Booth has been about more than earning a degree—it’s about becoming part of a lifelong community that enriches not only my career but my entire life.
What advice would you give someone considering applying to Booth’s Executive MBA?
Booth’s Executive MBA is more than just a place to gain knowledge—it’s a platform that enriches your life as a whole by welcoming you into the Booth family.
Balancing work, family, school, and now parenting—it hasn’t been easy. But the Booth EMBA community is incredibly warm and supportive. We help each other, we grow together, and through that shared experience, we gain not only knowledge but friendships and perspectives that elevate both our careers and our lives. For me, applying to Booth was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life.
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