Carlos Ghosn's CEO School

HIYOSHI, Kanagawa, Japan - Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn tackled tough questions from the best and brightest students at Japan's Keio Business School on Tuesday, sharing his experiences leading two global automakers.

The students asked the CEO for tips on managing global organizations, promoting diversity and, perhaps most importantly, what it takes to land their desired job after graduation.

Katsuhiko Shimizu, professor of business management research at Keio, says an insightful talk from an industry leader is better than any textbook case study.

“These kinds of experiences give them really good opportunities to learn and feel what we are supposed to do,” said Shimizu.

The 50-year-old business school was the first to launch a MBA program in Japan in 1978, and has an established track record of partnering with top-ranked global peers.

CEO Ghosn said it's crucial for global businesses to identify and recruit promising candidates and schools like Keio help to create a viable talent pool.

“I'm interested in companies that provide global challenges, for example, the opportunity to work in both developed and emerging markets,” said Shigeaki Inagaki, an MBA student at Keio.

“Nissan is a company that provides such challenges – it's one of the options for my future career.”

More than a decade since Ghosn came to Japan and spearheaded Nissan's legendary recovery, the CEO's own story highlights the importance of getting the right people on board.

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