Takahiro Kusakari went from being a self-described bum getting by on bit-part acting roles in Tokyo to calling the shots at a $2.7 billion stock fund.
His life changed in 2007 when the then 28-year-old stumbled into a seminar by the legendary investor Atsuto Sawakami, the founder of Japan¡¯s biggest independent mutual fund. Sawakami saw a spark and later offered him a job. What followed was a meteoric ascent from back-office lackey to analyst, then fund manager and finally chief investment officer.
As it turns out, Kusakari¡¯s lack of experience probably worked in his favor. His mentor has preached the gospel of long-term investing for more than four decades and says most people in finance don¡¯t really get what the term means, so it made sense to turn to someone from outside the industry.
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