How long have you been working in Boston?
I have been working in Boston for the past ten years. Before founding Beacon Hill Strategy Group, I served as EVP and Chief Strategy Officer at Valo Health, an AI-driven drug discovery and development company. Over 5.5 years, I helped build Valo from a startup concept with the founder to a strategic player in the biotech industry including partnerships with Novo Nordisk (the world’s second-largest pharmaceutical company) and Charles River Laboratories (the largest preclinical research organization).
Prior to Valo, I was a partner at Innosight (2015–2019), a strategy consulting firm co-founded by Professor Clay Christensen of Harvard Business School, known for developing the theory of “disruptive innovation.”
[Fierce Biotech article: “Novo Nordisk Doubles Down on Valo, Betting $190M Near-Term to Apply AI to Obesity and Diabetes” (Jan 8, 2025)]
What do you do?
I recently co-founded Beacon Hill Strategy Group with my partner, Winston Larson. Our firm helps executives develop AI-driven business strategies by focusing on their biggest opportunities, competitive strengths, and customer value creation. We guide leaders in defining their AI vision, rethinking value creation, and building capability roadmaps to accelerate AI adoption.
In addition, with over 25 years of experience in M&A leadership, including 125 acquisitions at IBM and advising global CEOs at McKinsey & Co, we provide end-to-end support for M&A strategy, execution, and integration. We also help companies build internal M&A capabilities to ensure long-term success.
What are the benefits and challenges of working in Japan?
During my tenure at IBM, I spent over a decade living and working in Tokyo. My last role was Asia Pacific Group Director of Corporate Development, reporting to the CFO. My role covered M&A, joint ventures, partnerships, and venture capital investments across Japan, China, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and 11 Southeast Asian countries.
As a third-generation Japanese American, living and working in Japan was both a deeply personal and professionally transformative experience. The opportunity to engage firsthand with Japan’s business culture and the broader Asia-Pacific region gave me a global perspective that shaped my future leadership roles at IBM Corporate HQ and my work supporting clients worldwide at McKinsey.
What is your favorite thing about Boston?
Boston is a city of history, diversity, world-class education, and cutting-edge innovation. While I’ve worked here for the past ten years, my professional ties to the city go back much further. At IBM, I worked on acquisitions of Boston-based software and technology companies, and at McKinsey, I supported Boston-based clients and their expanding office.
One of Boston’s greatest assets is its intellectual and professional ecosystem. I completed the board certification program at Harvard Business School and remain active in the Women Executives on Boards network, a group of 400+ senior executive women who have completed the Harvard Women on Boards program. I’ve also co-led the Boston chapter and the Biotech-Pharma Industry Group within the network.
Boston’s vibrant AI and biotech communities keep me engaged. Just last week, I attended two AI summits at MIT, continuing my work at the intersection of AI and business strategy. After 5.5 years as an EVP and Chief Strategy Officer at Valo, I remain deeply involved in AI-focused professional groups while building Beacon Hill Strategy Group to help CEOs and business leaders develop AI-driven strategies for the future.
Beyond professional connections, what makes Boston truly special is the rich network of friendships and relationships I’ve built over the years—spanning IBM, McKinsey, Innosight, Valo, and beyond.
Beacon Hill Strategy Group Website
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