A Conversation with Incoming MDA Student Arisa Tada

Could you tell us a bit about yourself? What is your current role, and what inspired you to pursue a graduate degree at this stage of your career?

I am currently working at Google Japan, where I am in charge of Chromebook’s go-to-market in Japan. I graduated from a pharmaceutical university and got my pharmaceutical license, then spent about 10 years in the advertising industry.

This past April, I left the advertising industry for the first time, and for the past two years, I have also been leading the IT team at an NPO called AfriMedical.

Because AI is evolving so fast and business changes so quickly, I feel that leading people and driving projects forward is becoming harder every year. I believe decision-making and leadership are very important, and AI cannot easily replace them.

I want to pursue the MDA right now, not just for my own career, but to also help and influence Japanese companies in the future.

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What drew you to Minerva's Master of Decision Making and Applied Analytics program? What stood out about the MDA compared to other graduate programs you considered?

I first heard about the MDA from a colleague who was already a student. He introduced me to the course, and I joined the Immersion Week session to see it for myself.

At first, I had been considering an MBA. But in this era, with AI on the rise, I started questioning it. Was it worth spending so much time and money on skills that are already easily accessible via AI?

The MDA felt like a much better fit because it focuses on strengthening and updating what only humans can do: decision-making. I'm also happy with my current job and want to keep pushing myself here at Google, so I don't need to switch my career after the MDA. The fact that it's virtual and part-time was a huge plus too.

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What challenge are you most passionate about solving, and how do you hope the MDA will help you make a greater impact?

I think life is a continuous series of decisions, personal and professional, from simple everyday choices to complex ones that carry major organizational or social impact. On my career side, I recently transitioned from spending a decade in advertising to leading go-to-market efforts for Chromebook, and now I handle B2B partnership negotiations to sell Chromebook to consumers in Japan.

Greater business skill comes with higher-stakes decision-making, and I believe the MDA provides the fundamental human update to handle these situations. I approach partners like Best Buy or Amazon, and OEM makers at the same time, and my main focus is company-to-company negotiation. So yes, it's a very exciting challenge for me.

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Which aspects of the MDA are you most looking forward to? This could be the curriculum, the global cohort, the flexible format, or opportunities to apply what you learn in your work.

The curriculum itself is obviously appealing, but what excites me most is how unique Minerva's learning style is. It's 100% discussion-based, and I'm currently in the English Boot Camp, so I'm already experiencing the Minerva style of learning. It's completely different from traditional lectures, where professors share their knowledge and students listen.

It's a very new style, and at the same time, it's super exhausting because we talk and focus a lot, and we discuss in real time. But I feel like I'm getting so much more out of it. I'm also excited about the MDA Immersion Week, because I've never been to the UK, and this year the UK is the location. Minerva's course is virtual, and we know each other online, but the face-to-face impact is huge, so having the Immersion Week twice is very nice.

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Decision-making is at the heart of the MDA. Why do you think strong decision-making skills are becoming increasingly important for professionals and leaders?

I definitely believe decision-making skills will become even more crucial as AI keeps evolving. Whether it's a personal decision that has nothing to do with AI or one made using AI tools, in the end, humans should decide. We need to know how to make decisions properly, with AI or without it.

There haven't been many opportunities to learn decision-making systematically, so the MDA is a very rare opportunity to develop this skill.

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Looking ahead, where do you hope this degree takes you? What impact do you hope to make after graduating?

Regarding my work, my immediate goal is to make a positive impact on my current career, as I can apply the insights I gain each week directly to the business. I intend to continuously translate my learning into practical results throughout the 21-month program. Since we study from Friday to Sunday, I can apply what I learn to my work the following week.

At the same time, I am considering contributing to Japanese startups, because I believe it's my second career. It's not decided or finalized yet, but I think my thesis theme will be decision-making within the startup industry. I'm also managing a podcast where I interview startup entrepreneurs, so I hope to bring some of what I learn into my podcast as well.

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Ready to strengthen the skills that set human leaders apart? Explore Minerva’s Master of Science in Decision Making and Applied Analytics (MDA).