Nationality: British – Japanese
Time Living in Japan: More than 20 years
Employer: VP Advisors K.K.
Current Job Title: Rural Economic Development Consultant
Areas of Expertise: Finance, Business Management, Stock Market, Japanese Equities, ESG, Rural Economic Development, Women’s Empowerment
Education: BSc International Business and Economics, Aston University UK
Language Ability: Fluent in Japanese and English
Favorite Thing About Living in Japan: Public safety, low crime rate and untapped industries providing many business opportunities
Favorite Place to Visit in Japan: View from Kajigamori and Yutorisuto Park in Otoyo, Kochi and if lucky the dreamlike scenic sea of clouds below. Magnificent mountain valleys of Kochi, clear river waters of Yoshino and Myodo rivers, limestone dotted Kochi Karst grassland, snorkeling in Kashiwa island, visiting the calm waters of Seto Inland Sea and the many islands that rest within where you can find countless white sandy private beaches and crystal clear waters.
BIO: Violet is a seasoned finance professional with over 15+ yrs working in Tokyo, London and LA for Japanese and international investment banks and asset managers. Her background is in Japanese equities where she spent her time selling Japanese stocks to institutional investors, researching and analyzing Japanese listed companies, introducing Japanese companies to foreign institutional investors, advising Japanese companies on their institutional investor strategies including ESG and corporate governance strategies and most recently consulted for a HK based hedge fund.
She relocated to the countryside in Kochi in Aug 2020 to promote economic development in the region. She is of mixed heritage, born in Tokyo and raised in both Japan and the UK, giving her the advantage of connecting with Japanese and English speakers on a native level. She has been a passionate advocate for women’s rights and has hosted many female networking and speaker events including for Women in Finance Tokyo.
She is the host of NHK World’s Otoyo: Bringing Fresh Life to a Traditional Community, and is scheduled to host more episodes along the theme of Genkai Shuraku (“Marginal Village”). As part of her Otoyo revitalization project, her company VP Advisors K.K. is building a riverside CrossFit retreat in the town, which is due to open in Spring 2022.
Publications:
- NHK World Journeys in Japan, “Otoyo: Bringing Fresh Life to a Traditional Community”