Employee Spotlight: Daiki Aoyama

This week in our “Employee Spotlight” series, we meet Daiki Aoyama, who is a member of JERA’s ICT Planning and Governance Unit, discuss his career and experiences at JERA. Don’t forget to like the JERA page for more employee stories and to keep up to date with our latest position openings.

Please tell us a little about you.

My name is Daiki Aoyama. I joined JERA in 2021, with prior experience at two different companies. After graduating from university, I joined my first company, a foreign chemical manufacturer, and worked there for ten years. Eight of those ten years were spent doing logistics-related work for tank trucks. Through those years I gained a wide range of experience in delivery planning operations, implementation of logistics systems, logistics optimization, and business reform. I then got the opportunity to work on overseas sales, which led me to my second company, a foreign consulting firm. I worked as a consultant for about five years on upstream systems, business process restructuring, PMO, cost reduction, and so on. I still feel that those five years as a consultant were like an apprenticeship, and the skills I acquired during this period built up to the skills I needed for my current position at JERA.

As for my life outside of work, I enjoy skiing and exploring mountains. This has led me to passionately care about the environment, which I am able to contribute at JERA.

What is your role at JERA and what do you enjoy the most about your role?

At JERA, I work in the ICT Planning and Governance Unit, of the ICT Strategy Group. As the name suggests, this unit is responsible for controlling JERA's overall system development plan, internal process development, budget management, and DX education.

I’m in charge of handling the "Transformation Project” which aims to make JERA a data-driven company. My role in this project is to oversee the strategy in each department, evaluate system development investments, manage department resources and to improve processes.

Because JERA is a new company, established less than 10 years ago, we have the exciting opportunity to be able to set rules one by one, develop them, and create a JERA that is a little better than it was yesterday.

What attracted you to JERA as a company?

What appealed to me most was the potential to impact the reduction of CO2 emissions in Japan. When I first started considering changing jobs from consulting, I had limited knowledge of renewable energy and its impact on environmental issues. While considering various opportunities, I came to know about JERA, which currently generates thermal power but is working towards a goal of zero CO2 emissions. I thought that if JERA could really achieve this, the impact on the environment would be tremendous and I wanted to support that mission.

I was also attracted to the company because I wanted to see how much I could individually contribute to the building blocks of JERA.

What has been the most transformative experience you had since joining JERA?

When I joined the consulting firm, I was overwhelmed that I would have to compete to prove my own value, with the idea that, "In consulting, people are the capital, and you get paid for what you do." Since joining JERA, I have been able to work more freely due to the positive atmosphere and team collaboration.

What’s one piece of advice you would share with your younger self?

To my teenager self, take your after-school activities more seriously.

To myself in my 20’s, study and experience a social life while you are still single. Don’t waste your time playing video games all day!

In myself in my 30’s, don’t work too much. Think about balance and do things because of what they mean to you, not because they are given to you.

?What would you tell someone that is interested in joining JERA?

First, we often refer to JERA as a so-called “big baby start-up” as there aren’t many other new companies with such a large scale as JERA. I believe that in JERA you have the opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way to building the company, but at the same time have the broad impact and influence in the industry like a large company.

Second, although our ICT department may be specialized in its scope, the culture allows employees to discover their own interests and fosters their ability to pursue them.

Third, by working at JERA you can have a big impact in solving global environmental issues.

I look forward to welcoming you at JERA!

?We hope you enjoyed getting to know Daiki and learning about his journey at JERA. If you are interested in learning more about #LifeatJERA or you’re looking for a new challenge this year, check out the open positions under “Jobs” and stay connected with us by following the JERA LinkedIn page. We’re Hiring, with some position linked below, so check them out!