Message from Shingo Nakamura, Senior Managing Director & Head of Japanese Business, India
May 1, 2023
As of May 1, 2023, I have been appointed as Senior Managing Director & Head of Japanese Business in India for Mizuho Bank. I would like to take this opportunity to briefly introduce myself and talk a little about the business environment in India.
Firstly, let me say that it is a true honour for me to be appointed to this position. I will be based out of the Gurugram/Delhi office, and am very much looking forward to leading the coverage of all Japanese subsidiaries in India. We have a very strong team here on the ground, which currently provides banking coverage to more than 600 subsidiary companies of Japanese parentage throughout the country.
This supports Mizuho Bank’s ongoing India focus. India is now the largest country in the world by population, a free market economy and a democracy. It is the world’s fifth largest economy by nominal GDP and the third largest by purchasing power parity (PPP). The country has been the fastest growing large economy in recent years and is undergoing a paradigm shift, having done a respectable job at withstanding recent global challenges, such as the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Historically, the economy of the Indian subcontinent was the largest in the world for most of recorded history up until the onset of the colonial era in the early 19th century. So I think the country is well positioned to strengthen its presence in the global economy going forward.
On a personal note, I began my career in banking when I joined Mizuho in 1993, immediately after graduating from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. So I have over 30 years’ of experience in the financial industry. Much of my career to date has centred around Mizuho’s China business – I have worked in China in various capacities and at various branches for a total of 17 out of my 30 years with Mizuho, which needless to say helped me become fluent in Mandarin. Until as recently as June 2021, I held the position of Deputy President of Mizuho Bank, China.
Immediately prior to my transfer to India, I held the position of Operating Officer in Mizuho Financial Group, the parent of Mizuho Bank. My experience to date, both in Japan and China, over the past three decades has spanned corporate banking, international banking, and strategic planning, and I am confident that I can utilise this experience to support our clients’ endeavours in India and earn their ongoing trust in Mizuho.
I am sincerely looking forward to working closely with my colleagues within Mizuho, developing new relationships with our clients and other stakeholders in India, and together working for a more prosperous future for all!