Atsushi Horiba, Chairman and Group CEO, HORIBA, Ltd.

To succeed in the world, we must be "funny and entertaining"

Chairman and Group CEO, HORIBA, Ltd.　
Atsushi Horiba (Atsushi Horiba) 

Profile

Atsushi Horiba (Atsushi Horiba)

After graduating from the Faculty of Science at Konan University in 1971, he joined Olson-Horiba, a US joint venture of Horiba Ltd.
In 1972, he entered the University of California, Irvine, and in 77 completed a master's degree in electrical engineering at the university's Graduate School of Engineering before returning to Horiba, Ltd.
He became president and representative director in 1992. He grew the company from an annual sales volume of approximately 400 billion yen at the time of his appointment to a global company with sales of 2000 billion yen and operations in 28 countries and regions around the world.
In 2010, he was awarded the Chevalier of the Legion of Honor by the French Republic.
In 2019, he was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon.

HORIBA, Ltd. provides analytical and measurement systems that support a wide range of industries around the world. It is no exaggeration to say that the automotive and semiconductor industries, in particular, would not function without HORIBA. What is the driving force behind the growth of this global company from Kyoto? We spoke to Chairman Atsushi Horiba about the essence of the matter.

■ During my time working in the US, I was asked every day, "What do you want to do?"

After graduating from Konan University's Faculty of Science, I moved to the United States. While working as a service technician at a U.S. subsidiary, I wanted to be more involved in development work, so I transferred to a local university and then went on to graduate school. At the time, I was surprised by the sheer amount of study required at American universities. It was incomparable to Japanese universities. For the first month, I almost gave up, thinking, "No matter how much I study, I'll never be able to complete this!" However, I made a friend who was the smartest student in my department, and by studying with him, my learning efficiency improved, and I was able to graduate successfully. Studying hard and overcoming major obstacles gave me confidence. I believe this experience is what allows me to withstand pressure and difficulties today. Furthermore, while titles are important in Japan, in America, people are always asked, "What do you want to do? What do you think?" Their opinions are always valued, rather than titles. From this culture, I learned the importance of asserting my own opinions.

■To be original and always be the best

To compete on the global stage, each and every employee must have the wisdom to think creatively based on their own knowledge, and the mindset to take on new challenges. HORIBA's corporate motto is "Joy and Fun." Each employee gathers information on their own, and then uses it to always do their best to tackle things. This owner-mindedness, where employees work with their own will and responsibility, rather than waiting for instructions from their superiors, is a major strength. This is why HORIBA will never lose, even on the global stage.

■HORIBA's success on the world stage is due to its "critical spirit"

Approximately 6% of the HORIBA Group's employees are foreigners, with the largest number of these being French, at approximately 900. Kyoto and France share a commonality: "high pride and not pandering to others." "High pride" may sound bad, but to put it another way, in Kyoto, it is important not to imitate others and to be different. HORIBA employees also have a critical spirit, in a good sense.
Because we value originality, we don't often teach our employees in detail from scratch about their work, although this depends on the nature of the job. We give them instructions that allow them to find their own answers and have them create their own manuals. Employees who are raised in this way are proud of their work and are strong.
That's why I want to work with cutting-edge people who have a strong desire to do something. Otherwise, we won't be able to compete globally. Japanese society tends to expect people to play it safe, and as a result, I feel that Japanese companies as a whole are weakening.
I believe that the reason HORIBA can compete on the world stage is because we have such sharp people who don't mind criticizing or being criticized themselves.
We are living in an era where the entire world is undergoing dramatic technological and economic change, so it will be difficult for companies and human resources that do the same things but do not move quickly to survive in the future.

■Please give us a message for university students

I think that student days are a time when you can enjoy whatever you want to do to the fullest. It would be a waste to do nothing, so if you live in a city, for example, try to get out and experience nature.
Plowing, sowing seeds, watering, fertilizing, protecting the fields from wild boars, and harvesting the fruit - this is the same in life. In order to hone your sensibilities, I hope you will take the time to experience the harshness and joy of these natural processes for yourself.
Once the effects of the coronavirus have subsided, it might be a good idea to go on a journey to think about what it means to be alive. The sensibilities and experiences you gain in your twenties will definitely come in handy in the future, so just keep gaining experience.

Student Newspaper WEB November 27, 2020 Interview by Mana Kitanohara, 3rd year student at Kyoritsu Women's University

Nihon University, 3rd year Ohashi Seinan / Meiji Gakuin University, 3rd year Sugai Nanami / Kyoritsu Women's University, 3rd year Kitanohara Mana / Meiji University, 2nd year Yamamoto Masato