Dr. Yukihiro Maru, Group CEO of Leave a Nest, Delivers Keynote at Deloitte’s First CEO Roundtable in Singapore, Organized by Deloitte Southeast Asia Japanese Services Group (JSG)
On June 27, 2025 (Friday), Deloitte Southeast Asia Japanese Services Group (JSG) hosted its inaugural CEO Roundtable at the Four Seasons Hotel Singapore. The event brought together Asia-Pacific CEOs and Managing Directors from approximately 15 Japan-affiliated companies based in Singapore.
As Deloitte’s first event of this kind, the roundtable centered on how Japanese companies can create new value through their overseas bases, with discussions focused on key regional challenges such as food security and green energy across the ASEAN region.
During the session, Yukihiro Maru, Group CEO of Leave a Nest Co., Ltd., delivered a keynote speech titled “Deeptech Landscape.” His talk provided a comprehensive overview of the deep-tech ecosystem across six ASEAN countries, along with Leave a Nest’s long-standing engagement in Southeast Asia. He also shared insights from Euglena Co., Ltd.’s expansion into Southeast Asia and collaboration with a Malaysian partner, and concluded with case studies of co-creation between Japanese LPs and Southeast Asian startups through UntroD Capital Asia, where he serves as Managing Director.
One of the most discussed topics was the necessity for Japanese companies to shift the role of their Southeast Asian operations from logistics and revenue-generating functions to innovation-driven knowledge manufacturing hubs. While many Japanese firms maintain a presence in Southeast Asia, these branches often remain limited to manufacturing or sales, becoming effectively “isolated” from the local ecosystem and deep issues. The session emphasized the importance of actively exploring primary information on the ground and transforming overseas operations into platforms that generate new knowledge through integration with their own corporate assets.
Dr. Maru concluded that Leave a Nest will continue working toward building a future beyond the conventional trajectory of Japanese corporate expansion, aiming to create global impact through “knowledge manufacturing” in Southeast Asia.
Event Overview
Event Name: CEO Roundtable
Organizer: Deloitte Southeast Asia Japanese Services Group (JSG)
Date & Time: Friday, June 27, 2025 | 15:00–20:30
Venue: Four Seasons Hotel Singapore
Participants: Executives from Japan-affiliated companies in Singapore, government officials, and Deloitte professionals (approx. 40 attendees)
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Yukihiro Maru (Group CEO, Leave a Nest Co., Ltd. / Managing Director, UntroD Capital Asia)
