Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Silicon Valley is one of the world’s most dynamic business environments. Our panel of top Silicon Valley businesswomen—working in both corporations and their own successful start-ups—will contrast Valley business culture with traditional U.S. and Japanese business models and discuss challenges they have overcome along the way. Using their experience as senior executives and entrepreneurs, they will lay out potential pitfalls when bringing women into organizations in the U.S. and Japan, and the skills women need to flourish in the unique Silicon Valley environment.

Mary Haak-Frendscho, President & Chief Scientific Officer of Takeda San Francisco, Inc. Haak-Frendscho runs the San Francisco subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., one of Japan’s premiere medical companies. Before joining Takeda, she was Chief Science Officer and Vice President at Xoma Ltd. She received her doctorate in immunology from the University of Wisconsin, and her master’s degree in immunology from the State University of New York-Stony Brook.

Chika Hashimoto (moderator), is CEO of Gallasus, Inc., and a member of the Japan Society Board of Directors. At Gallasus, Hashimoto facilitates business between US/EU and Japanese companies in the fields of biotechnology and healthcare. Prior to starting up Gallasus, Ms. Hashimoto worked with US therapeutics and biotechnology companies as business development director and research scientist, and at the Life Sciences Institute of Snow Brand Milk Products, a top 100 company in Japan.

Michi Kaifu, CEO of ENOTECH, has over seventeen years of international business experience in the telecommunications and wireless industries. She has advised many Japanese and U.S. companies since leaving NTT America and starting her own firm, ENOTECH Consulting. Kaifu holds an MBA from Stanford University and a BA from Hitotsubashi University in Japan. She also writes a well-known blog about life in Silicon Valley.

Aki Shoji, Senior Corporate Counsel at Google Inc. Until recently, Ms. Shoji led the legal support team for Google’s business in Japan, and is now working on U.S. commercial transaction matters, focusing on content. Prior to Google, Ms. Shoji was Of Counsel in the Corporate Department of Morrison & Foerster, where she regularly advised and represented Japanese and U.S. companies on a variety of cross-border transactions including M&A, venture financing, strategic investments, intellectual property licensing, and distribution arrangements.

Time:
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
8:00 am Registration
8:30-10:00 am Panel discussion, Q&A
10:00-10:30 am Networking session

Location:
Sofitel San Francisco Bay
223 Twin Dolphin Drive
Redwood City
[map]

Cost:
Advanced Registration:
$20 Japan Society Members and Students
$35 General Admission

At the door:
$30 Japan Society Members and Students
$45 General Admission

Advance registration is suggested, as seating is limited. Tickets will be available at the door as space permits.
No refunds after Friday, September 19th.

This program is presented with support from JETRO San Francisco and the San Francisco Business Times. Co-sponsored by Japan Bio Community.