Young Professionals to Watch: Ina Enatsu

The Morgan Stanley associate shares how the company’s culture and programs have helped her grow personally and professionally.

The Young Professionals Forum (YPF) serves as a platform to connect working professionals aged 35 and under within the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ). In this installment of our Young Professionals to Watch series, we talk to Ina Enatsu, a company management associate at Morgan Stanley Japan Holdings Co., Ltd., about the real-life lessons she has learned by participating in YPF events, which go beyond traditional networking to give young professionals opportunities to learn directly from senior ACCJ members in intimate settings.

What do you do at Morgan Stanley?

I work as a member of the Alliance Office team in our Company Management division. The team plays an integral role in strengthening the alliance between Morgan Stanley and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. (MUFG), including advancing collaboration between Morgan Stanley and MUFG’s two securities joint venture entities in Japan. Morgan Stanley and MUFG have a strategic and capital alliance that started during the 2008 global financial crisis with MUFG’s $9 billion capital injection into Morgan Stanley.

Our team has a wide variety of key responsibilities. For example, my teammates and I keep our global senior management up-to-date with information on the Japan joint venture, MUFG, competitors, and industry updates to support informed decision-making. Additionally, we remain on the lookout for new opportunities to collaborate, actively supporting ideas that emerge from across various divisions of Morgan Stanley and MUFG.

Before my current position, I worked on the mergers and acquisitions team in the Investment Banking Division and was always fascinated by how individuals’ determination can influence firm-wide decisions. Now, I am one of those individuals, focused on strengthening the alliance between Morgan Stanley and MUFG to ensure that projects and collaborations progress and continue in a meaningful way.

What is the most memorable project you have worked on? How did being a young professional make a difference?

I joined Morgan Stanley’s Alliance Office team last May and have been constantly surprised by how closely I work with senior management. For example, we are directly involved in planning and execution of the Global Steering Committee, which hosts a face-to-face meeting twice a year between the Morgan Stanley and MUFG executive teams, including both chief executive officers.

A particularly memorable project is the monthly update report that our team creates and sends to senior leadership. While this is a routine task, I enjoy the opportunity for young professionals to bring creativity to it. Without going into specifics, as it is an internal document, I once proposed an analysis from a new perspective. Although it involved many hours of work, my team appreciated it, and it was included in one of the editions sent to our senior global leadership.

How does Morgan Stanley empower young professionals?

I value a lot of Morgan Stanley’s focus on culture and—at its foundation—I believe that everyone’s ideas are expected to be shared. Specifically, I want to highlight two initiatives, among many, that have been particularly valuable to me.

The first is our Firmwide Mobility opportunity. Employees can apply for transfers, which I see as a great way for young professionals to reflect on their skill sets, consider life events, and leverage mobility to build a long-term career. As I mentioned, I started my career in another department and received tremendous support through both my team and the mobility opportunity.

The second is the Open Doors Program, which is designed to connect employees with senior leadership. I have participated in several sessions hosted by senior leaders where young professionals are given an excellent opportunity to directly ask questions and share their views.

Do you have a memorable moment from a YPF or ACCJ event?

I joined an off-the-record event organized by the YPF, which was a memorable experience. Despite the presence of many senior executives, I felt at ease—likely because the event was genuinely designed to foster open communication between executives and young professionals.

I had the opportunity to meet inspiring, open-minded leaders and was pleasantly surprised to see how eager executives were to hear young people’s perspectives on work, motivation, and other topics.

What are your expectations for the YPF and the ACCJ?

My hope for the YPF is that it continues to create meaningful, well-intentioned events that raise awareness among young professionals and encourage a sense of accountability.

In a world where artificial intelligence can handle tasks, it is essential for us to speak up, share perspectives, and take action to improve society. Even though I have only attended two YPF events, I have already met several exceptional young professionals, which reinforces my belief that this is a valuable network. I hope to see it continue in a sustainable and impactful way.

Making a Difference

The ACCJ Journal also spoke to Enatsu’s manager, Yuki Hasegawa, about her presence and contribution.

“Ina joined my team last May and quickly became an integral member, thanks to her proactive approach to both work and team-building. I see her consistently thinking from the stakeholders’ perspective, striving to drive progress in her role,” said Hasegawa, who is the managing director and head of the Alliance Office. “As a culture-carrier, her strong sense of values and commitment to fostering a positive culture are exceptional.

“I am very much excited personally—and as a member of the Morgan Stanley Japan management—that she is being featured here and shows a presence among the YPF,” Hasegawa continued. “I have always believed that passion-based external networking activities provide a place for us to be exposed to a diverse set of role models, and to then also experience the many ways in which we can all be a leader. I like the authentic nature of the YPF initiatives which I have learned about from Ina and hope she continues to stay actively involved, discovering her own strengths, lifting others, and encouraging talent to join our firm.”