Success of CEMS Student Ahmad Miari in Japan

Student of the CEMS programme Ahmad Miari, who spent the exchange semester at Keio University in Japan, and his team succeeded in the Business Project with Nomura – Global Investment Bank. The aim of the students‘ work was to formulate a business strategy for Nomura Securities’ Retail Division as it leverages FinTech in the Japanese domestic markets. Thanks to the outstanding performance of the team – (Ahmad Miari (VŠE), Bernard Gallant (ESADE), Florian Kuntz (UoC), Juha Romppanen (AALTO), Karolina Sikora (SGH) and Yueyu Chen (TSEM), Nomura implemented their proposal and recently announced the launch of its first robo advisor, providing automated, goal-based asset management advisory services to retail investors in Japan.

While considering the given project goals which were targeting an asset building group in Japan which is 30-40s years old, improving internal productivity of Nomura and leveraging FinTech, the future customer challenges as well as productivity challenges had to be taken into account. Named “Nomura Goal-Based”, the new robo advisor proposes model portfolios based on investors’ answers to a series of questions designed to understand their financial situation and goals. Investors have the option to immediately access Nomura’s fund offerings based on these model portfolios. “Nomura Goal-Based” offers two functions that other robo advisors currently available in Japan do not. “Investor Style Diagnostics” provides personality assessments, while “Investment Goal Setting” allows investors to embed life events such as home mortgages and education fees into their goal setting process.

“The business project with Nomura was challenging and enriching. I enjoyed the high level of education from both the Keio University and Nomura. I am very proud that Nomura implemented our proposal. The hands-on experience generated immense value to my academic, professional and personal life,” Ahmad Miari, CEMS students, said.