Akira Nagahara

Nanyang Business School, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore

“A lawyer and certified public accountant specialising in business restructuring and tax.”

Hometown: Osaka Prefecture, Japan

Fun fact about yourself: I played rugby throughout high school and university and was selected for the Kansai U18 regional team in high school. I have also completed a full marathon. I am the father of two daughters.

Undergraduate School and Degree: Bachelor of Laws, Osaka University; Juris Doctor, Kyoto University

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? National Tax Tribunal of Japan – Appeals Judge, serving as a neutral and independent third-party resolving tax disputes, similar to a judge.

Where did you intern during the summer of 2025? Not applicable.

Where will you be working after graduation? I plan to establish my own law firm in Japan (Tokyo and Osaka). My strength lies in my dual qualifications in law and accounting, and my goal is to provide a broad range of services centred on business restructuring and tax, drawing on my professional experience. I believe that the business and global perspectives gained through the NTU MBA will enable me to deliver even higher-quality services.

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School: I currently serve as the project leader for SPAN, an on-campus project. Although the project has only recently begun, I am committed to ensuring its successful completion.

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? In October last year, during the Trimester 1 examination period, I became seriously ill and had to take strong medication daily. Due to the side effects, I was unable to read for long periods and even considered withdrawing from the programme. However, while continuing treatment, I managed to find time to study for exams and ultimately overcame this difficult period. During this time, I also had to care for my children, and I was only able to persevere thanks to the devoted support of my wife, to whom I am deeply grateful.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? Although the average age of professionals in my former position was in their 50s, my achievements as a lawyer and certified public accountant were recognised, and I was appointed as an Appeals Judge at a relatively young age. The role required drafting lengthy legal decisions within strict deadlines, similar to a judge. Owing to my background, I was entrusted with particularly complex cases, including international matters involving extensive contract reviews, difficult valuation disputes, and unprecedented intellectual property cases. These cases often required extensive research, interviews, and drafting documents exceeding 100 pages. Successfully resolving them earned the trust of my supervisors, and as a result, I consistently received very high performance ratings in biannual evaluations.

Why did you choose this business school? My areas of specialisation—business restructuring and tax—are both closely tied to business operations. Through my professional experience, I often felt the need for deeper and more structured business knowledge. For this reason, I had long been eager to pursue an MBA overseas and devote myself fully to studying business in a global context.

I concluded that earning an MBA in Singapore would be optimal for my legal career, as Singapore is a central hub for business in Asia, hosts many Japanese companies, and is home to key institutions such as the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC). In addition, as AI and data analytics are becoming increasingly important across all industries, I strongly felt that even legal professionals must develop these capabilities. NTU, with its strong foundation as a science- and engineering-oriented university and its emphasis on AI and data analytics, was therefore the ideal choice for me.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? Associate Professor Eugene Kang Soon Lee (Strategic Management). The course was demanding, but I learned a great deal about both theory and its practical application. Rather than simply introducing frameworks, the class required in-depth discussions on how to apply them, with deliverables due almost every session. Professor Lee reviewed all submissions carefully and provided detailed feedback, demonstrating his strong commitment to developing students.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? Strategic Management and Finance. My professional focus on business restructuring and tax is closely linked to finance. While I had prior exposure to the subject, the MBA included highly challenging modelling classes. Although demanding, working through these problems collaboratively made the learning process rewarding and deepened my financial knowledge.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? The Business Study Mission to Ho Chi Minh City. We learned about Vietnamese business directly from many business leaders. The most memorable experience was the alumni night, where I met Ms. Nagai, CEO of Money Forward Vietnam, a Japanese listed company. Despite her senior position as CEO of a large corporation, she interacted with us in a very open and approachable manner, which made the experience especially enjoyable. I was inspired by her courage to enter emerging markets and actively build new businesses, and it motivated me to pursue business development with similar determination. This experience also highlighted the strength of NTU’s alumni network and embodied the true value of the MBA experience.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why?
I would have devoted more time to improving my spoken English before joining the programme. Although I practised English conversation in Japan, during Trimester 1, I often hesitated to speak in class. By Trimester 2, I became much more active, but I wish I had participated more from the outset.

What was the most impactful case study you had in business school and what was the biggest lesson you learned from it? The Alibaba case in the Technology and E-Business course. Living in Japan, I had limited exposure to Chinese business and knew little beyond the company’s name. Through this case, I learned about the importance of localisation in China, including why eBay lost to Alibaba and the necessity of establishing proprietary payment systems such as Alipay. Given China’s growing importance in global business, the lessons from this case are broadly applicable.

What did you love most about your business school’s town? Sentosa Island. I had visited it on a school trip in high school, but at that time it was not as developed. I was surprised by the scale of redevelopment. With Universal Studios Singapore, the aquarium, and Adventure Cove all in one area, it is an attractive destination, especially for families, and has become one of our family’s favourite places.

What business leader do you admire most? Mr. Kazuo Inamori is one of the leaders I admire most. I respect his lifelong dedication to Japan’s economy despite his age. While he is widely known as the founder of Kyocera and KDDI, what impressed me most was his leadership in the turnaround of Japan Airlines (JAL) in 2010. At over 70 years old, he accepted the role of chairman because he believed that JAL’s revival symbolised Japan’s economic recovery. Beyond his well-known amoeba management, I admire his philosophy that executives must be good human beings. For example, when a JAL executive hesitated to disclose financial information to a labour union, Inamori insisted on transparency, viewing employees as partners rather than adversaries. Thanks to his efforts, JAL successfully completed its turnaround. Although he later passed away, his legacy lives on. I aspire to become a leader with strong convictions and leadership inspired by him.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? Some classes actively encourage the use of AI, while others prohibit it. Even in classes where AI is encouraged, relying entirely on AI can lead to hallucinations. This experience has reinforced the importance of verifying sources and conducting thorough fact-checking.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? Jatin Gupta. As class president, he handles a significant workload and maintains a demanding schedule, yet remains thoughtful and considerate of others. He sent me kind messages when I was ill, demonstrating genuine empathy. At the same time, he shows strong leadership in group work and, like me, holds a CPA qualification, making him someone I deeply respect.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? I want to establish my own practice and contribute to clients’ businesses—and ultimately national economic development—through expertise in business restructuring and tax, ideally providing seamless, one-stop services across law, tax, accounting, and business.

I also want to serve as an outside director of companies, contributing to the economy by leveraging the combined perspectives of law, accounting, and an MBA, a skill set held by relatively few professionals.

What made Akira such an invaluable member of the Class of 2026?

“Akira’s journey to the Nanyang MBA is truly remarkable. A former Appeals Judge at the National Tax Tribunal of Japan — a role equivalent to a district appeal judge — he had already attained an esteemed judicial position at a relatively young age. Yet, rather than remaining within the comfort of that accomplishment, he made the courageous decision to step away in order to gain deeper business knowledge and a global perspective. That deliberate reinvention speaks volumes about his character and long-term vision.

What makes his story even more compelling is that he undertook this journey with his family, relocating to Singapore with his young children to pursue his MBA. It was not simply an academic decision, but a bold personal commitment to growth and impact.

Within the Nanyang MBA cohort, Akira is deeply respected and genuinely well-liked. He brings intellectual depth through his rare dual qualifications in law and accounting, enriching classroom discussions with thoughtful, structured insights. At the same time, he carries himself with humility and quiet confidence. His peers often describe him as a steady, brotherly presence — someone dependable, generous with his time, and always willing to support others.

Akira exemplifies the spirit of the P&Q 100 Best & Brightest: exceptional professional achievement, courageous reinvention, global outlook, and leadership grounded in integrity. I recommend him with complete confidence and immense pride.”

Helen Chen
Admissions Advisor
Nanyang Business School, NTU

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