Ikumi Shimada, Cornell Johnson MBA Class of 2028
Age: 31
Hometown: Isesaki city, Gunma Prefecture, Japan
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Gunma Prefectural Women’s University, International Business
Pre-MBA Work Experience: Investor Relations, private equity / financial services, Partners Group. Swiss-based global private markets investment firm with $261bn in assets under management, 2 years. Operations, asset management / financial services, Alternative Investment Capital. Japanese asset manager with $19bn in assets under management, specializing in private equity fund investments. 1 year. Private equity investment / corporate insurance sales, financial services, Japan Post Insurance. One of Japan’s largest life insurers with approximately $400bn in total assets. Six years (3y in private equity investment, 3y in corporate insurance sales).
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
My decision to pursue an MBA began with an experience I had in Chicago in October 2022, when I had the opportunity to spend time as a trainee at a U.S.-based asset manager.
Until then, I had worked primarily at Japanese companies, and my career had naturally followed the opportunities available within those organizations. Seeing peers in the U.S. who had pursued business school, changed companies, and intentionally shaped their careers gave me a new perspective: there were more ways to build a career than I had previously imagined.
That experience also made me reflect on how I wanted to develop as a private market professional. I realized that I wanted to deepen my expertise and gain experience beyond the LP perspective, which led me to move into an asset manager. I was fortunate to work with wonderful colleagues, and the experience gave me a much deeper understanding of the field. I later had the opportunity to work on the GP side as well, which gave me another perspective on the industry.
Throughout this journey, my desire to pursue an MBA and explore what I could do beyond my existing career path remained. Once I felt I had built a strong foundation of professional experience across different parts of the private market space, I decided that the timing was right.
I believe coming to business school now, after gaining these experiences, gives me the perspective to make the most of these two years. I want to use this opportunity not simply to advance along a predetermined path, but to thoughtfully explore the path that I will not regret choosing.
Why did you choose Cornell? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
One of the key reasons I chose Cornell Johnson was the way the community genuinely values and supports individuals beyond their roles as applicants or students.
I actually applied to Johnson one year earlier as a member of the Class of 2027. Although I was placed on the waitlist and was not ultimately admitted, the relationship I built with the Admissions team left a lasting impression on me. The feedback they gave me was some of the most constructive I have ever received, including encouragement to strengthen my communication skills in professional settings.
I took that feedback seriously. I began English lessons through B-Speak and joined Cayuga Toastmasters, a local Toastmasters club that meets on Cornell’s campus. Through these experiences, I became more confident communicating internationally and developed my public speaking skills. More importantly, I realized that the feedback from Johnson had led me not only to improve, but also to discover communities that genuinely cared about my growth.
What impacted me most was that the Johnson Admissions team continued to support and encourage me throughout the journey, from my first application through my second application as a Class of 2028 candidate. They were interested not only in my application, but in the person I was becoming.
As someone pursuing an MBA far outside my comfort zone, in a foreign language alongside classmates from around the world, I wanted to be part of a community where I would be valued as an individual. That experience confirmed that Johnson was the right place for me.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2028?
I believe my differentiating contribution is my ability to connect different perspectives within the private markets ecosystem, which I have purposefully developed throughout my career. Rather than following a linear path within a single function, I have proactively sought opportunities to deepen my understanding of private equity from different angles.
I started my career as a corporate sales professional at a life insurance company in Tokyo, where I developed a foundation in understanding companies, corporate finance, and building relationships with corporate clients. I was later selected for an internal transition into private equity investing as an LP investor, where I gained firsthand experience evaluating funds and investment strategies. I then expanded my perspective as a private equity fund-of-funds manager, learning the operational side of private market investments, including fund administration, cash flow management, and portfolio monitoring. Most recently, as an investor relations professional at a global private equity firm, I have gained insight into the GP perspective and how investment firms build relationships with their investors.
These experiences have allowed me to understand private markets not from a single perspective, but as an ecosystem connecting investors, fund managers, and portfolio companies, particularly within the Japanese private markets landscape. I hope to bring this holistic perspective to classroom discussions, team projects, and conversations with classmates who share a passion for finance and investing, while also learning from the diverse experiences and perspectives of my peers.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that didn’t get included on your application:
I am 4’8″, but I have a surprisingly big appetite and an even bigger love for challenges. I learned cooking from my grandmother and enjoy creating meals for people I care about. To balance my love for food, I run 3 miles or swim 1 mile almost every day. My ikigai – the Japanese concept of finding purpose and joy in life – comes from cooking, exercising, and building meaningful relationships with people around me.
Post-MBA career interests:
Investment Banking, Private Equity
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
–What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
Visit the campus. Experiencing the atmosphere firsthand and meeting students in person gave me a much better sense of the community than I could have gotten from online research alone. I think it is especially valuable to see what kind of people you might actually spend the next two years with.
–What is one thing you would change or do differently?
I would be more intentional about managing my time around virtual events. During the application process, I worked during the day in Japan and joined U.S.-time webinars at midnight, trying to make the most of the time difference. While I found these events valuable, it was physically exhausting and made it difficult to switch mentally between work and the application process. If I were to do it again, I would prioritize the events that mattered most and plan my schedule around them, rather than trying to attend as many as possible.
–What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
Honestly, I don’t think I would skip any part of the application process. Applying to Cornell Johnson and other schools, working on the applications throughout the night, receiving admissions decisions, and ultimately deciding whether an MBA was truly worth the significant financial and personal investment gave me an opportunity to reflect deeply on what I actually wanted from my career and from the next stage of my life. By the time I made my final decision, I felt that I understood much more clearly why I wanted an MBA, what I hoped to accomplish through it, and why Johnson was the right place for me. Going through it helped me grow and, ultimately, made me much more confident in the decision I made.
What is your initial impression of the Cornell students/culture/community?
My initial impression was that the Cornell community was incredibly warm and welcoming. I also found the students and faculties to be genuine, hardworking, and down-to-earth. I remember thinking that if I was going to spend two years in one place, this was exactly the kind of environment I wanted to be in. I also felt that the culture was a great fit for me personally.
What student organizations have you joined/are you hoping to join and why?
I joined the Old Ezra Finance Club, a professional club that many students join as they prepare for careers in investment banking. I wanted to join not only to develop my technical and professional skills, but also to challenge myself and grow alongside my classmates.
I am also hoping to get involved with Big Red Ventures. I would love to gain more hands-on experience working with and evaluating portfolio companies, while also bringing some of my previous investment experience to the organization.
And, of course, I joined the Johnson Japan Club! As far as I know, I am currently the only Japanese student in my class, so I felt like joining was almost a given. I am looking forward to sharing the many things I love about Japan with my classmates and introducing them to Japanese culture.
What is one thing you have learned about Cornell that has surprised you?
How many hills there are! Getting to class sometimes feels like a light hike. I had visited Ithaca before enrolling, so I knew it was a beautiful place surrounded by nature, but I don’t think I fully appreciated just how hilly it was. I probably didn’t have enough mental bandwidth during my first visit to notice!
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
Trying everything. I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity, at this stage of my life, to explore so many different interests and challenge myself in new ways. I want to try things without being afraid of making mistakes, while also remembering that being a student does not mean lowering my standards or expectations of myself. I want to make the most of this opportunity and say yes to experiences that push me outside my comfort zone.
