Episode 16

full
Published on:

1st Dec 2022

Journey from Accountant to Business Partner with Jonathan Cant, Executive Consultant, FocusCore Japan

Jonathan Cant, Executive Consultant at FocusCore Japan is back for round two on the podcast. This time, David and Jonathan chat about the steps needed to transition from an accountant inputting data to telling a story with those numbers and becoming a valued and trusted business partner at a Fortune 500 company.

In this episode you will hear:

  • What is finance business partnering?
  • What are the important benefits of business partnering for finance professionals?
  • What are the essential skills a finance professional needs to improve and grow beyond the numbers on a spreadsheet
  • Why Business Partnering is in demand in Japan
  • Learning valuable lessons and skills from mentors and the impact mentors have on your career

Jonathan Cant Bio:

A leading member of the FocusCore team, Jonathan is a UK native who has been in Japan for just under 19 years. With around 15 years of leadership experience, he brings maturity and just the right amount of grey hair to the team. A father of two young boys, he spends most of his free time in the park or playing with Lego. He is also a fan of Newcastle United FC and enjoys photography and cooking.

Connect with Jonathan:

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/consultants/jonathan-cant?source=google.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathancant/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonathancant?lang=en-GB

Links of things mentioned in this episode:

Episode 12 - The challenges of managing local and regional stakeholders in Japan with Jonathan Cant

LinkedIn poll survey

The Journey from Accountant to Business Partner in Japan article


Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/

Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co and check out his new album, FIFTY​/​50. https://music.cdavisshannon.com/album/fifty-50-2

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Mentioned in this episode:

Find out more about salaries, the job market, hiring and what's important to both companies and individuals looking for a job specifically in Japan.

2025 Salary Guide

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About the Podcast

The FocusCore Podcast
Meet interesting and inspiring and entertaining people who show why Japan is a unique, fulfilling and sometimes frustrating place to do business.
We will discuss how to hire, train and retain talent. How to create values that motivate, and review best practices that have worked and attempts that have failed. David will be speaking to company presidents, CEOs, CFOs, HR professionals, coaches, consultants as well as sharing with you some of my own experiences and opinions discovered over the years in this great country.
The focus is simple: To explore how to succeed in business in Japan.

About your host

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David Sweet