Kosuke Nakano on Leveraging the NUS MBA to Pursue Career Opportunities Abroad
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Kosuke Nakano
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Kosuke Nakano started his career in sales strategy and operations at Recruit Holdings. In 2023, he moved to Singapore to join the NUS MBA program. He began as a full-time student but later switched to the part-time track to better balance his studies with professional commitments.
An alumnus of the Class of 2025, Kosuke has since joined Zoom as a Sales Operations Analyst. We spoke with him to gain a deeper understanding of his experience.
You built a strong foundation in sales strategy and operations at Recruit before starting your MBA. What motivated you to pursue the NUS MBA, and why in Southeast Asia?
“The four years I spent and the colleagues I worked with at Recruit helped me develop the right mindset and skills to achieve many successes. But my business unit focused solely on the Japanese market, and I lacked international exposure. Since my college days, when I joined exchange programs in Thailand and Southeast Asia, I had dreamed of exploring these vibrant regions to see what I could contribute beyond Japan.
At the same time, I became more aware of the potential for sales operations to drive meaningful change in a company—but also of my limited knowledge beyond my domain. Those aspirations and needs for growth led me to the NUS MBA, one of the best programs in Asia’s most competitive economy.”
With your expertise in data-driven strategy, how did the MBA expand the way you think about sales and business operations beyond analytics?
“At Recruit, I solved problems through the lens of sales strategy and operations. However, sales operations often lacked visibility into other business domains. The MBA provided me with exposure to areas such as finance and marketing that I would not have encountered otherwise.
It didn’t make me an expert in those fields, but it equipped me to identify broader business issues and suggest solutions beyond my own function. Today at Zoom, I use analytics in the same way—but my scope has widened. I can connect sales-related insights to deeper issues across other functions and contribute more impactfully to the business.”
You’ve had international exposure through exchanges in Thailand and ASEAN programs. How did the diversity of the NUS MBA community further shape your global outlook?
“The NUS MBA reflected the diversity I now see daily at Zoom Singapore. As someone who had only worked in a Japanese-dominated environment, it was a fantastic preparation for a global workplace.
When I first joined, I had to adapt to different communication rhythms. For example, in Japanese, speakers pause after sentences to invite responses, but in global discussions, people often jump in without waiting. These minor cultural differences can be particularly noticeable in formal settings. Adjusting to them at NUS helped me transition more smoothly into Zoom’s international environment.”
Looking back, were there particular courses, projects, or professors that helped you apply new ideas directly to your current work?
“I took 17 courses, but Corporate Strategy with Prof. Kulwant Singh stood out. His cases and insights left me with two guiding principles:
- Implementation is as important as strategy. Leaders must be aware of what’s happening on the ground. At Zoom, I keep this in mind as I connect leaders with field operations and execute on their behalf.
- Ethics is not a choice. Professor Kulwant stressed that “everyone else is doing it” is never a justification for cutting corners. In managing sales policy, I sometimes face situations where shortcuts could yield faster results. But his lesson reminds me to keep my moral compass intact and prioritise integrity over quick wins.”
Beyond technical and analytical skills, how did your MBA experience push you to grow as a leader or collaborator?
“The MBA tested my ability to lead without perfect data. In team projects, everyone had different priorities and ideas, yet we had to align and deliver results. That taught me the importance of ownership, clear communication, and logical thinking.
At Zoom, I now serve as a regional business partner. Resource constraints sometimes push me beyond my formal scope, but the ownership and trust I built during the MBA prepared me to step up. The program provided me with the space to reflect, experiment, and grow as a collaborator, before applying those lessons in a high-pressure environment.”
For professionals with strong functional expertise — like sales strategy or analytics — what advice would you give about using the NUS MBA to broaden their career opportunities?
“Sales operations roles are often regional, requiring close collaboration with sales leaders across countries. To succeed, you need more than functional skills—you need a deeper understanding of the region and other business domains.
The NUS MBA provides both. It builds knowledge in finance, marketing, and strategy, while also offering exposure to Asia’s diverse business contexts. Just as significantly, it expands your network across industries and countries. For me, that combination has been invaluable in making the transition from Recruit in Japan to working at Zoom in Singapore.”
A final word for aspiring MBA candidates?
“The MBA doesn’t just change your skill set—it broadens your horizon. If you’re looking to push beyond your domain expertise, adapt to international business contexts, and prepare yourself for bigger responsibilities, the NUS MBA is an experience worth taking. It’s not just about where you study, but who you study with, and the perspectives you’ll carry forward into your next chapter.”
Discover how the NUS MBA can expand your career opportunities like Kosuke’s. Visit our website and get in touch with our admissions team today.
