Joining Atrae after declining the offer for 4 years
＊This article was originally written in Japanese as an interview for a new member.
Today, let us introduce our new CFO, Hidekazu Suzuki, who is pretty famous for dealing with IPO.
He used to work at Daiwa Securities Co.Ltd. succeeding in IPO and fund raising for many companies.
After 4 years of declining our CEO’s offer to join Atrae, Suzuki decided to work for Atrae in 2018.
So here’s our interview about the secrets of what had been happening…
Hidekazu Suzuki’s professional history
Started working for Daiwa Securities Co.Ltd. (Daiwa Securities SMBC Co.Ltd. at that time) in 2005 after graduating University. Worked for investment bank section as an adviser for IPO and fund raising for many companies throughout his career there. Recent notable success is taking the lead managing underwriter and being in charge for the global IPO of the first Japanese unicorn Mercari, Inc. or IPO of RAKSUL INC.
The story starts in October, 2014
”Becoming the best investment banker for IPO in Japan”.
This was Suzuki’s goal when he started working for Daiwa Securities 14 years ago.
Whenever he faced difficulties, he felt excitement for overcoming them since it meant he’d gotten one step closer to be the best in Japan.
In October, 2014, he came to Atrae for the first time.
It was for a competition to select our sponsoring broker.
Beforehand, our CEO (Arai) had been searching for the best investment banking company and the person to make a deal with below the surface using his own network.
Originally, another person was assigned to give us a presentation but He asked Daiwa Securities that he wanted to see the man named Suzuki, otherwise he won’t decide our sponsoring broker.
Only 3 days later they met, Arai chose Suzuki and Daiwa securities to make a deal with, declining lots of other offers from various securities companies.
Suzuki was amazed by this instinctive way of judging.
He’d never met a person in his whole career who can do such a secret research in advance and make such kind of decision making.
Arai looks back on the scene and explains,
”I put way more importance on the humanity when I decide a project partner than the offering deal. If the person is worth trusting, or respects moral and ethics.
When I confronted him, I felt I can trust him with no doubt at all, so I thought any more consideration was meaningless.”
Thus Suzuki won out of the competition and spent 2 years to realize the IPO successfully.
Impression of Atrae
The first impression Suzuki remembers is that members of Atrae are a few selected nice people who make even outside partners fans of them.
“The most impressive point was greetings”, he says.
He was surprised to see the members’ spontaneous greetings and cheerful atmosphere without any slight feeling of being forced.
Being persuaded for 4 years
Since ever meeting Arai and Atrae, Suzuki had been asked to join the company constantly.
Sometimes as a greeting before the meeting for IPO, sometimes at a business dinner, or even the last sentence in an E-mail.
It wasn’t the first time for Suzuki to be approached by CEOs and managers, but no one kept asking after declining for 3 times.
But Arai was different.
No matter how many times Suzuki declined, Arai never gave up and kept offering for 4 years.
But Suzuki was also stubborn.
”I have no complaint in my current work”.
“I still have many things I want to achieve here.”
When Suzuki explained his thoughts, Arai responded,
”That’s the very reason we want you.
I don’t want a person who has a complaint with his current job.
All the more because you are a person who can be passionate with what you do, we wish you to join Atrae.”
Suzuki took his hat off to Arai who would make such a heart-warming offer.
The reason for Joining Atrae
”After all, there wasn’t any special trigger that made me decide to join Atrae”, Suzuki says.
While working with Arai and the members for the IPO, he gradually blended in to Atrae.
However, Suzuki had a strong sense of responsibility.
It was to succeed in IPO for companies which he was in charge of to the last. Of course Atrae was one of those too.
Atrae got listed in Mothers Tokyo Stock Exchange (Market of the high-growth and emerging stocks) in 2016, and was also aiming to change to the 1st Section in 2 years.
Suzuki had made his mind to support this from the sponsoring broker side.
Our IPO went successful in June, 2018, and Suzuki subsequently finalized many IPO and fund raising in his responsibility.
With a sense of accomplishment in a securities company, he joined Atrae in September, 2018.
Changing job with zero motive, zero activity and zero interest in HR industry
Suzuki’s case of job change is very rare.
He had no motive to change job.
Of course he never gave it a try to either.
Even had no strong interest in HR industry where Atrae makes businesses.
So why did Suzuki change his job? And why was it Atrae?
”Because I got attracted by Arai and the members of Atrae.” he explains simply.
”You may do whatever you want.
Please do everything you think no one else can do which will contribute to our growth.”
That was all what Arai said to Suzuki and didn’t give any order of what kind of job to do.
Suzuki now takes the role of CFO and works on the whole finance, corporate development and IR section.
”With these members in Atrae we can make business in any area outside HR, even a Ramen restaurant.
No matter what the situation is, we can always feel excitement and keep our aim higher with a strong bond of trust.” Suzuki says.
3 months since joining
We asked him if he found any gap before and after he started working here.
”None. All the stories about this organization and the businesses were the same as what I’d heard from Arai before joining.
There was no change in the words and actions of Arai or the members after joining.
I feel Arai as well as the members are all truthful and no lies.
I want to contribute to realize our vision ‘attract the people around the world’ with all my specialties and experiences.”
Suzuki responds with excitement in his eyes.
