Michael William McKenna
New York Representative - New York, USA

Michael has been involved with Japan since he began studying the Japanese language at the Monterey Institute of Foreign (now: International) Studies 40 years ago. First as a student, then with a not-for-profit, he lived and worked in Japan for most of the ‘70s.

After returning to the United States in the ‘80s, he worked on the Japan Client Service teams of Human Resource consulting firms Buck Consultants, Towers Perrin and Marsh USA. In that role, he assisted Japanese firms in accessing the human resource management, employee benefits and management consulting assistance they required in order to operate successfully outside of Japan. From 1991 to 1994, he served as Manager of Towers Perrin’s Tokyo International Consulting Office working with the headquarters of major Japanese multinationals on issues relating to their overseas workforces. At Japan Intercultural Consulting, Michael continues his work in advising Japanese firms on human resource management issues as well as matters of cross-cultural communication.

Michael has spoken on the issues faced by Japanese multinationals at venues such as the Nikkei Forum in Tokyo, JETRO NY, ORC Worldwide and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of New York. His articles have appeared in Diamond Weekly, ILS Publications, and PHP Human Management Review. While in Tokyo, he served on the Ministry of Health and Welfare study group on Corporate Benefits, the results of which were published as Hyuman na Kigyo Kosei (Humanistic Corporate Benefits) and Tayooka Jidai no Kigyokosei (Corporate Benefits in a Pluralistic Age).

On evenings and weekends for a number of years, Michael has been studying Chanoyu, the Japanese Tea Ceremony, and recently received Certification as an Instructor of the Omotesenke School of Tea.

In addition to his work with Japan Intercultural Consulting, Michael is active as a translator and interpreter.

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