Brandeis International Business School

Yuki Hasegawa ’09, MA’10, a human resources analyst at Goldman Sachs, helps manage training and development programs for the investment bank’s most important asset: its talent. He’s originally from Yokohama, Japan, but also spent time growing up in Zurich.

What aspects of your Brandeis education have helped you succeed in your current role?

Just about every class I took entailed group project work of some kind. I learned to be nimble and how to interact with and lead a team of people who come from very different cultures, backgrounds and perspectives. I learned to identify people’s competencies and determine what leadership style would work best to motivate them. These details are critical to a team’s dynamic. Now that I work for a global company where every day I'm expected to work with people from the U.K., Hong Kong, Japan or India, I really appreciate that I had this experience as a business school student.

How are applying what you learned at the International Business School?

I'm someone who really believes in finding an individual’s potential. What I do involves strategic thinking: looking at our budget and our resources, and then coming up with solutions to best develop people's skills and abilities, figure out ways to mentor them and give them greater job opportunities. It’s a big responsibility because, as Lloyd [Blankfein, CEO of Goldman Sachs] says, “Our people are our number one asset.”

What was it like going straight to business school after getting your undergraduate degree at Brandeis?

My first year of business school was really my senior year in college. I was taking classes alongside people who have spent a lot of time in the working world and already had great careers. At first it was intimidating, but the second-year students mentored and challenged me, and then when it was time to graduate, they helped me find a good job.