Driving change: Empowering women in tech innovation
Yoko Morishita, second right, speaks at the NextGen Japan-U.S. Innovation Networking Event in Palo Alto, California, in March.
TIER IV PEOPLE shines a light on the people and teams whose unique experiences, backgrounds, and stories bring our mission to life. In this installment, Yoko Morishita, CFO of TIER IV North America, speaks about her personal journey as a female executive in the tech industry and as a Japanese professional working internationally.
Yoko joined TIER IV North America in July 2020 and was involved in launching the U.S. subsidiary. She holds a degree in economics from the University of Tokyo and earned her MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management. Prior to her role at TIER IV, Yoko supported businesses with overseas expansion at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and later worked on corporate strategy formulation at McKinsey & Company. In her current role as chief financial officer, she steers TIER IV’s business expansion strategy in the U.S.
Yoko recently took the stage at an innovation-focused gathering hosted by the Japan Society of Northern California in Palo Alto. The NextGen Japan-U.S. Innovation Networking Event was a follow-up to a symposium on women, peace, security and innovation, which Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa participated in during a visit to San Francisco in 2023.
At the March networking event, discussions revolved around the role of women in the tech sector and the contrasting work cultures in Japan and the U.S. Following are edited excerpts of Yoko’s remarks.
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TIER IV develops technology for autonomous vehicles, and I'm involved in steering the expansion of the business globally. To be honest, one of the reasons I joined the company stems from my aversion to driving – particularly, navigating through traffic and dealing with aggressive drivers, especially when my 1-year-old daughter is in the car with me.
I was shocked to learn that women are 73% more likely than men to sustain serious injuries in car accidents, according to a U.S. study. Despite this, manufacturers are not required to use female crash test dummies in the United States. Recognizing this bias is the first step toward rectifying the problem. Empowering women in innovation is crucial to addressing such discrepancies. We need to be heard.
The automotive sector is one of the most old-fashioned and male-dominated industries. Despite my qualifications and experience, I often struggle with imposter syndrome, especially when meeting industry peers for the first time. Too often, there is an assumption that I'm a subordinate rather than their equal. Perhaps stereotypes play a part: Japanese women tend to look younger than their actual age, language barriers are sometimes an issue, and I’m not a huge car enthusiast. However, the important point is that women face a higher risk of injury in car accidents compared to men.
Half of the global population are women, so naturally, half of consumers are women. With that in mind, I’m leading strategy at TIER IV North America. Women must be part of the journey in the development of autonomous driving technology to ensure that future solutions are designed for women and men.
Innovation knows no gender boundaries. The process of devising solutions to tackle new challenges remains the same regardless of gender. Women have an equal stake in leading innovation capable of disrupting entrenched norms and market dynamics.
My message for women – and men who work with women – is simple: innovate in ways that nobody has tried before. Together, let's drive change and create a more inclusive and equitable future in the tech industry and beyond.
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TIER IV is always on the lookout for passionate individuals to join our journey. If you share our vision of making autonomous driving accessible to all, get in touch.
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