Naoko Yamada has over 15 years of experience designing and delivering human resource and organizational development solutions to leading Japanese and Western global clients. With a passion for diversity and inclusion, leadership and career development-related work, Naoko has enabled clients to transform their teams and organizations both globally and in Japan.

Naoko has expertise in designing and defining strategic leadership roles and competency frameworks for global Japanese and Western clients in industries such as pharmaceuticals, manufacturing and luxury brands. In addition, she has designed, developed and facilitated leadership skill development programs aligned to client’s business needs and specific competency frameworks. Through a holistic, organizational development approach, Naoko has demonstrated a deep understanding of how to enable both people and organizations to change.

To enable Japanese firms to increase their impact overseas, she has also focused on training programs for Japanese managers expecting to be posted overseas – emphasizing cross-cultural communication skill development and global leadership skills.

In her past work for the Sony-Ericsson Mobile Communications joint venture in 2001, Naoko led the design and implementation of the HR development scheme for the new company—working to integrate HR systems and competencies and to promote a new organizational culture.

Naoko graduated from Keio University with a BA in human science. She earned an MS in commerce and completed coursework toward a PhD in international business at Waseda University. Naoko also served as a visiting researcher at the University of Reading in the U.K. She is certified in MBTI, DiSC psychometric tools, Saville competency-based assessments and The Leadership Circle leadership tools. Her Japanese publications include: co-authoring PFC’s 'Global OD Handboook' (Japanese, Toyo Keizai Publishing), 'Introduction to International Business' (Japanese, Chuo Keizai Publishing), 'Utilizing Sony’s Global Talent – Understanding the Results and Promotion of Overseas Employees at Headquarters'.