Keiko Asano on finding her place in the world

When Keiko Asano, managing director at Munters in Japan, was a little girl, she loved books. Among her favorites was A Little Princess, a story of a girl who loses everything, only to find her life transformed later on. 

The story stayed with her. Not because her own life followed the same path, but because it carried a sense of possibility; that things can change, that your place in the world doesn’t always reveal itself right away. 

For Keiko, finding that place took time. 

Like most of us, her journey wasn’t a straight line. But it’s proof that if you stay curious, keep going, and are willing to try new things, you often end up exactly where you’re meant to be. 

As a child, she dreamed of becoming a clothes designer or an author. Instead, her path took a very different direction. 

When it was time to choose a university degree, she picked economics, seeing it as a way to keep her options open. 

Her first role at Toshiba started in general affairs, but soon her manager moved her into finance. Something about numbers clicked. 

“Numbers are very honest,” she says. “They don’t lie.” 

What began almost by chance turned into a skill she would carry throughout her career. 

At the same time, Keiko had a clear realization early on: no matter what life brought, she wanted to work. 

“Even if I got married or had children, I knew I would work,” she says. 

To expand her opportunities, she decided to build new skills, starting with language. 

“I realised I needed to become better at English, so I moved to the United States,” she says. 

Speaking up in a culture that didn’t always welcome it 

From accounting roles in Japanese and Italian companies, Keiko built a strong foundation. But along the way, she also discovered something about herself: she speaks up. 

She questioned decisions when something felt unfair; something that wasn’t always appreciated. 

“In Japan, people are very silent and patient,” she explains. “Bosses are not used to employees speaking up.” 

It slowed her progression at times. But she didn’t stop. 

Instead, that honesty would ultimately become one of her greatest strengths. 

A defining moment at Munters 

When Keiko joined Munters as Financial Controller, she didn’t expect to become Managing Director just a few years later. 

But during a challenging period in the organization, she stepped in. 

When a mistake affected a customer delivery, she chose to act, focusing on solving the problem rather than assigning blame. 

“I told the team to fix it and ship the correct product. After that, I would take care of the rest,” she recalls. 

That moment didn’t go unnoticed. 

Shortly after, she was asked to step into the Managing Director role. 

At first, she hesitated. 

“I thought, maybe this is my dream,” she says. 

Leading in her own way 

From the start, becoming a female Managing Director in Japan came with skepticism. Many doubted whether she would succeed, especially without a technical background. 

But Keiko chose not to change who she was. 

“I tried to be a different kind of person, a very ‘perfect’ leader,” she says. “But I couldn’t. So I stayed myself.” 

Her leadership style is simple and powerful: 

“I listen to people. That’s the most important thing.” 

She treats employees and customers like people first, not roles. 

“I talk to them like they are my friends,” she says. 

And she believes in trust, giving people space to do their work. 

Learning from mistakes 

Keiko is open about her own mistakes and expects others to be as well. 

When things go wrong, her focus isn’t on blame, but on learning. 

“We can’t undo what has happened,” she says. “So we think about how to recover and how not to repeat it.” 

This mindset has shaped how her team works and grows. 

Under her leadership, both sales and the number of employees in Japan have doubled. 

But for Keiko, success isn’t about numbers alone. 

It’s about people. 

“Forgive yourself and move forward” 

Much of her mindset comes from her upbringing. 

Her mother encouraged her to reflect on her own actions first but also taught her something equally important: not to be too hard on herself. 

Over time, Keiko turned that into her own philosophy: 

“Forgive yourself. Don’t accuse yourself. Nobody is accusing you, so why should you?” she says. 

Looking ahead 

What continues to motivate her? 

“Talking to people,” she says. “Supporting them makes me happy.” 

Looking ahead, she wants to continue sharing her experience, especially in sustainability and leadership, both within Munters and beyond. 

“I’m still learning,” she says. “And I want to pass that on.” 

About Keiko

• Keiko lives in Tokyo, Japan, with her husband, son and three cats
• She loves to read, watch movies and play golf in her spare time
• Keiko describes herself as humourous, passionate and self-reflective