Aesara Partners 

At Aesara Partners, our mission is simple: enable you to be the best version of yourself. We offer a range of focused services that unlock the potential of people, teams and cultures to maximise business performance. 

Collectively our Partners and Associates have decades of experience both in executive coaching and as board level leaders themselves working in multiple sectors across global markets.

Partner & Executive Coach

Doshisha University

Professor of Strategic Management, Global MBA Program

The CFO Coach K.K.

The CFO Coach K.K. is a boutique executive coaching firm specializing in developing High-Performance​ Financial Leaders and Teams.

Founder & Executive Coach

Kansai Gaidai University

•	Awarded President's Global Education Award (Teacher of the Year).

Professor of Leadership & Management

Benesse Holdings, Inc. (USD 4.5B; Tokyo Stock Exchange Code: 9783)

•	Member of the Board of Directors for Berlitz Corporation; Benesse Corporation; and Benesse Style Care.  Chairman of Audit Committee for Berlitz Corporation. Member of Benesse Holdings Pension Committee.
•	Global CFO covering all 40+ Benesse group companies
•	Championed and supported multiple cash generation initiatives including a CFO led "Save to Grow" initiative to improve Company Financial performance and to identify significant savings for business reinvestment
•	Enhanced Finance bench strength and hired a high potential team to start financial business consulting
•	Implemented several process and capability best practices to move group companies towards global standards

Global Chief Financial Officer & Corporate Senior Vice President

McCann Worldgroup Holdings

• Overall Responsibility for Operations (Finance, IT, Legal, and Administration - 10 legal entities) 
• Successfully turned around long term loss making lead agency by delivering double digit margin improvements within two years
• Delivered double digit margin improvements for all six MWG Group companies 
• Built a new Finance team and moved from Scorekeeping to Business Partnership and improved business performance
• Major projects within last two years include: 
  - Shared Service center creation/migration
  - New Financial System Migration
  - Acquisition & Divestiture
  - Business Turnaround
  - Retirement Plan consolidation/change
  - Office relocation/rent reductions

Group Chief Financial Officer, Executive Vice President, and Member of The Board

Becton, Dickinson and Company

• Led Finance, Procurement, General Affairs, and Rebates teams (43 staff) to deliver multi-million dollar cash and profit performance improvement for first year and beyond. Exceeded all budget expectations.
• Engaged Japan Management Team and Global Finance Leadership Team on company objectives to deliver best outcome (Finance Transformation initiative, Sales effectiveness improvement, Key Account Management, Business Continuity plan, and strategy/selection of backup distribution center).  Led process for 2012-16 Business Plan development
• Developed and executed Finance department strategy and vision to move from scorekeeping to business partnership. Implemented job rotation program and hired several high potential employees to improve bench strength.
• Championed multiple Finance and Procurement initiatives including definition and implementation of new 401k Retirement Plan; divestiture of non-core business; change of primary banks (reduced bank fees by over 30%); vendor reduction process, and new travel expense management system 
• Taught New Manager Essentials program and selected as leadership trainer for PEPFAR program in South Africa to teach Leadership and Change Management to African Health Ministry officials

Finance and Administration Director

Avon Products Inc.

•	Implementation project leader for Avon Sales Leadership Framework (ASLF) – Highest priority project for the Company to adapt to a new Sales Model.  Completed project implementation in record timing.  Awarded regional award as part of ASLF Team. Only person in Asia recognized for both Top-line and Bottom-line contributions in the same year.
•	Defined and executed new vision and mission and led Sales Support department to complete over 40 initiatives (within a six-month period) as part of Team’s new journey towards field motivational excellence. Incorporated new processes to deliver high impact incentives, and to create Sales energy and momentum for sales turn-around.    
•	Achieved highest employee engagement scores with Sales Support Department significantly exceeding country results in over 95% of categories.  Previously had also led Finance department to highest employee engagement scores.
•	Global Project leader for a high potential, multi-functional, multi-national team to study and recommend actions to improve Global Sales Incentive management/spending process.
•	Oversaw execution of a variety of Company and Public/Media events ranging from Sales Conferences to Philanthropic events including Annual Awards to Women, and Pink Ribbon Campaign support.

Executive Director and Member of the Board

•	Responsible for Financial policy making/implementation and reporting for Avon Japan as a public company (including statutory/public, and Board Meetings). All year-end financial documents audited with no comments/exceptions.
•	Defined and executed new department Vision and Mission, and recruited, trained and developed a completely new Finance team (80% new hires within a six month period) to move from scorekeeping to business partnership. Finance team formed core of country high potential list.
•	Consistently over achieved profit performance commitment under adverse conditions of sales decline by aggressively managing strategic business needs with cost cutting; Delivered zero overhead growth during all years; Japan winner of regional awards for best cost management performance, and for boldest transformation strategy.
•	Provided leadership and support for critical decisions and strategy development as Japan Leadership Team Member.  Actively led change management process within company.
•	Consistently achieved best internal control results in Asia-Pacific/Avon over a period of eight audits.  Japan one of only two countries with highest audit rating. Outstanding performance generated support to remove Japan from list of High Coverage countries.
• Co-developed strategic/financial business case, and obtained approval for number of campaign reduction in 2006 making Avon Japan only country ever in Avon to undergo campaign reduction. 
• Independently analyzed and provided strategic direction for Plant study which challenged and reversed previous recommendation by outside consultants on plant closure.
• Provided leadership in several restructuring initiatives by providing an achievable plan to achieve 12% people related cost reduction.  Played lead role in this study representing Finance, Supply Chain and HR 
• Consistently achieved highest performance rating and nominations to several high potential programs
• Elected (and re-elected) to Board of Directors

Executive Director, CFO and Member of the Board of Directors

Delphi

• Prepared Asia-Pacific regional messages / presentations for Delphi Strategy Board, and for Delphi Board of Directors.
• Supported development and implementation of critical Asia-Pacific strategies.  Performed competitive intelligence and other special studies to identify risks / competitive threats and outlined regional / corporate response.
• Provided Miller Heiman strategic selling process training to Asia-Pacific personnel to improve value propositions and increase sales effectiveness.

Director Asia-Pacific Planning

• Management responsibilities for Finance, HR, General Affairs, and Six-Sigma.
• Active member of the Japan Strategy Board and Japan management team.  
• Six-Sigma Deployment Champion for Delphi Japan.

Delphi Japan – CFO & Administration Director

Country Responsibilities:
• Managed all finance functions including accounting, budgeting / forecasting and treasury.
• Lead development of cross-functional and cross-divisional Internal Control Review Board.
• Lead and supported strategic initiatives including venture development support, site enhancement, competitive analysis, transfer pricing, and cost reduction studies.
• Represented Japan in Asia-Pacific Financial Task Team.

Regional Responsibilities:
• Coached country CFO and staff to implement common financial reporting processes.
• Supervised and provided training for engineering / commercial / plant / site analysts.  Coordinated regional financial training programs for the sector in the Asia-Pacific region.
• Coordinated the regional budget, business plan, and capital management process.
• Supported development of common financial practices among ventures including:  Loan monitoring, F/X and cash management, compliance with accounting principles, report submission, etc. Provided regional oversight of venture risk exposure.

Asia-Pacific Senior Finance Mgr.

Executive Coach | MBA Professor | Ex-Global CFO

I help senior leaders master complexity, elevate strategic impact, and lead with authentic authority.

I bring over 25 years of C-level and boardroom experience as a former Global CFO for a $5B publicly traded company, combined with a deep commitment to human-centered leadership development.

Today, I coach global executives, CEOs, and leadership teams — specializing in executive transitions, strategic leadership, high-performance teams, and Asian leadership development.

I am also an MBA Professor of Leadership and Strategic Management, blending research-driven frameworks with boardroom-tested insights to develop transformational leaders.

Based in Kyoto, fluent in English, Urdu, and Japanese.

Connect with me: arif@thecfocoach.jp

Website: www.thecfocoach.jp (please sign up on my mailing list to receive future announcements and newsletters)

Arif Iqball

Hi, I’m Kobi. I’ve created podcasts that’ve generated $500,000 in revenue, launched feature films, and beaten major broadcasters like Sky and Channel 4.

I help founders and leaders turn podcasts into high-leverage, authority-building content that drives revenue without the burnout.

Here’s what I know about you:

• You don’t want more noise. You want leverage.
• You’re tired of content that takes time, delivers nothing back and leaves you burnt out.
• You know your voice should be building your business, not just filling a content calendar.
• You’ve seen how the right channels can build trust, deepen relationships and drive demand and revenue.
• You’ve been thinking about launching a podcast. Or maybe you’ve started one, but it’s not doing what you hoped.

I use the Content Catalyst™ framework to help founders turn podcasts into revenue-driving content machines.

It works by:
• 📢 Building visibility, trust and demand
• 🎯 Positioning you as the expert your market trusts
• ♻️ Turning long-form conversations into weeks of content that compounds
• 🤝 Connecting you directly with your most valuable audience, your ideal clients

This isn’t theory. It’s tested, proven and paid for.

• 10+ years in marketing, built on a foundation in engineering and a love for growth strategy
• Speaker at Podcast Growth Summit, London Podcast Show and more. I teach growth, not just talk about it
• Built shows for brands like P&G, Spotify and Simple Politics, earning top podcast awards over Sky News and Channel 4
• Grew leads by 1,900% at Natcap Research, cut Amazon’s acquisition costs by 50% and helped scale Proxymity to Series B
• Podcasts I’ve created have generated over £500,000 in revenue, launched feature films and outperformed national broadcasters

GET IN TOUCH
If you’re ready to turn your voice into revenue, let’s talk.
DM me to explore how Content Catalyst™ could work for your business.

For speaking or media inquiries, email me at kobi@kobestarr.io


📢 Things I post about: Podcasts & Podcasting, Growth Strategy, Content Marketing, B2B Marketing, SEO, PPC, Brand Building, Founder-Led Content & Leadership

Kobi Omenaka

Most people quit just before the moment that would've changed everything.

Einstein's teacher said he was "too stupid to learn."
↳ But now his name is a shorthand for "Genius"

Michael Jordan got cut from his high school basketball team.
↳ He became the greatest basketball player of all time

Walt Disney was fired from a newspaper for "lacking imagination."
↳ He created the most magical entertainment empire in history

Steve Jobs was kicked out of his own company.
↳ He came back and built the most valuable company in the world

Oprah was told she was "unfit for television."
↳ She became the most influential woman in media

The Beatles were rejected by Decca Records because "guitar groups are on their way out."
↳ They became the best-selling music artists in history

Every single one of them had a moment where the world said "no."

The difference? They didn't let that "no" become their full stop.

Early looks like rejection.
Early feels like embarrassment.
Early feels like "maybe this isn't for me."

But early is often just the price of doing something new.

If you've never failed:

↳ You've never risked being seen
↳ You've never stretched
↳ You've never built

The gap between where you are and where they are isn't talent.

It's persistence through the part where everyone else quits.

Failure isn't the opposite of success.

It's usually the receipt.

Which one of these legends would you have missed most if they took that "no" as the final answer?

♻ Repost to help more leaders see the bigger picture.
➕ Follow Kobi Omenaka for more.

Podcast & Content Marketing for Leaders & Founders | Podcast-powered content to grow your business and brand without burnout | Head of Growth | Digital Marketing Consultant

One candle lighting another.

Neither flame gets smaller.

That's the thing about helping others succeed, you don't lose out if they win!

We've all seen it. 

People hoarding knowledge like it's a limited resource. Guarding their connections. Keeping their "secrets" close.

The people I admire most are the ones passing the torch. 

Introducing people. 
Sharing what they've learned. 
Celebrating wins that aren't their own.

There's enough success to go around.

When you help someone else shine, you're not dimming your own flame. You're lighting up the whole room.

As we head into the weekend, just a reminder: your generosity doesn't weaken you. It multiplies what's possible.

Keep shining. Keep sharing.

Happy Friday.

Kx

7 WEIRD marketing tactics that beat every ‘smart’ strategy out there.
None of these came from a textbook.

But they’ve driven more growth than most polished funnels and agency playbooks I’ve seen.

Here they are ranked from weird-but-brilliant to “why does this even work?” 👇

1. Study your competitors’ angry customers
↳ Those rants are your product roadmap.
↳ A founder I worked with rebuilt their onboarding after spotting repeated complaints about a rival’s confusing setup.
↳ Retention jumped 34% overnight.

2. Schedule time for terrible ideas
↳ Block 1 hour meeting each week labelled “Bad Ideas Only.”
↳ Ask things like: “What would get us fired?” “What would freak out our investors?”
↳ One client turned this chaos into a campaign with 423% ROI.

3. Explain your product to someone who’ll never buy
↳ Pitch it to your nan, your neighbour, or a kid.
↳ If they don’t get it, your copy’s broken.
↳ A SaaS team simplified their messaging and boosted conversions by 26%.

4. Deep-dive into your users’ lives
↳ Don’t just survey your ICP.
↳ Quietly track 3 real customers online each week.
↳ One founder did this and realised their actual audience was totally different from who they were targeting.

5. Copy your competitors’ “mistakes”
↳ That terrible-looking popup or CTA timing? Steal it.
↳ What looks dumb might be strategic.
↳ We copied a rival’s “bad” UX flow, and our conversions tripled.

6. Take a metrics vacation
↳ One week, no dashboards. Just calls.
↳ Data can’t tell you everything. People can.
↳ A “failing” feature was actually loved, just used differently than intended.

7. Run a ‘complain about us’ contest
↳ Invite customers to roast you publicly.
↳ Reward the funniest, weirdest complaint.
↳ One brand did this and sparked organic buzz for weeks.

These all sound mad.
That’s why they work.

The best marketing doesn’t feel smart.
It feels uncomfortable. Curious. Even a bit chaotic.

Yes or no. Would your team try any of these?

♻️ Repost to share these wild ideas with others!
👣 Follow Me, Kobi Omenaka for more posts on leadership, marketing, and podcasting

WEIRD marketing hacks

Your career isn't stalling.

It's just building roots.

Chinese bamboo shows nothing for 5 years. Just a tiny shoot. While other plants grow steadily, bamboo seems stuck.

Then in 6 weeks, it shoots up. BOOM!

What changed? Nothing. And everything.

Those 5 years weren't wasted. Underground, a badass root system was spreading. Building the foundation for explosive growth that would come later.

Your career works the same way:

• The network you're quietly building
• The failures teaching you resilience
• The skills you're learning in a "boring" role
• The patience you're developing through setbacks

None of it feels like progress. But it's all roots.

The breakthrough doesn't happen despite the waiting period. It happens because of it.

If you're in your "5 years" right now, grinding without visible results, keep going. Your roots are spreading deeper than you know.

The growth is coming. And when it does, it'll be unstoppable. Unless you're eaten by a giant panda.

Yes or no. Are you still building roots right now?

♻️ Repost to share with your network!
👣 Follow Me, Kobi Omenaka, for more posts on leadership, marketing, and podcasting

The $200,000 Stanford AI degree just became worth a lot less. Not because the education isn't world-class:

Because Stanford just dropped their entire AI curriculum on YouTube.

For free.

The same courses that cost $200,000+ are now available to anyone with an internet connection.

And honestly? This changes everything.

The barrier to learning AI wasn't your ability.
It was access.

Most people can't drop everything for a 4 year degree.
Can't afford the tuition.
Can't relocate to California.

Stanford just removed all of that.

These aren't watered-down versions either.
They're the exact same lectures their students learn from:
↳ CS230: Deep Learning
https://lnkd.in/ecdKGAx2

↳ CS329H: Machine Learning from Human Preferences
https://lnkd.in/eJcbms4u

↳ CS25: Transformers
https://lnkd.in/eFgTiSfz

↳ CS231N: Deep Learning for Computer Vision
https://lnkd.in/eRhHFrdU

↳ CME295: LLM Evaluation
https://lnkd.in/eJ4UEsCc

↳ CS336: Language Modeling from Scratch
https://lnkd.in/e-BcPH4B

The knowledge that's shaping modern AI.
The frameworks being used at the biggest companies.
The thinking behind the tools you're already using.

All sitting there. Free.

So what's stopping you now?

It's not money.
It's not location.
It's not connections.

It's whether you'll actually press play.

The AI skills gap is closing.
But only for the people who take advantage of this.

Which course are you starting with?

♻️ Repost to share this with your network
👣 Follow Me, Kobi Omenaka for more on getting to grips with AI and tech

Would anyone be interested in being my companion?

I'm asking for a friend...👀


#Dadjokes

"Should we start a B2B podcast?"
Run the numbers first.
Then decide.

I've produced 100+ B2B podcasts.

Most teams green-light shows based on gut feel.
Then panic 6 months in when downloads don't justify the spend.

The smart ones run a simple calculation before recording episode 1.

Here's what they figure out:

Every single episode you record creates:
↳ 5-8 LinkedIn posts
↳ 3-4 blog articles
↳ 12+ video clips
↳ Newsletter content for weeks
↳ Direct access to potential clients (if you interview guests)

You're not just starting a podcast.
You're building a content engine that happens to produce audio.

I built a free calculator to show you if the maths works for you

Before you book a studio or buy equipment, it tells you:
✅ True production cost vs content output value
✅ Potential pipeline from guest relationships
✅ Repurposing ROI across all channels
✅ Your projected ROI multiplier

One team ran the numbers.
Realised they'd get 7.2x return even with modest downloads.

They launched. It's now their top-performing channel.

Takes 60 seconds. Zero friction. No email required.

🔗 Link in the first comment to check it out for yourself

♻️ Repost or share this if you know a team considering starting a podcast

Oops here is the link!

https://lnkd.in/ewW6fsWx

I've just be fired from a clock making factory. It's so unfair...

... after all those extra hours I put in...👀


#dadjokes

You want to grow your personal brand. 
You don't want to become a content burnout. 
You definitely don't have time to start a podcast. 

There's a shortcut: be a guest on other people's podcasts. 

We're running a guesting service that handles everything. 
Outreach. Screening. Prep. Logistics. 

You just show up!

5 founders took advantage of the intro price and booked this week. 
BUT - The price is going up in 7 days. 

Full breakdown in the newsletter 👇

ICYMI. We shared this last week and 5 founders have already booked calls. Last week, setup was £250. This week, it's £300. In 7 days, it's going up to

Open article: You Missed One Price Bump. Don't Miss Another. by Kobi Omenaka • 2 min read

You Missed One Price Bump. Don't Miss Another.

Have you ever stopped to think… Soy milk is just regular milk…

…introducing itself in Spanish…👀




#DadJokes

taplio

The Battle

Arif Iqball

Kobi Omenaka

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreKobi Omenaka's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Arif Iqball

Kobi Omenaka

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Kobi Omenaka's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreKobi Omenaka's LinkedIn Performance