2021 Monitor NextGen Profile: Moto Tohda

by Vol. 48 No. 3 2021

Moto Tohda,
Vice President of Information Systems,
Tokyo Century (USA)

Moto Tohda oversees the entire IT system for Tokyo Century’s U.S. operations. His personal goal is to keep himself close to the business side to match-make business pain points and technology initiatives. He acts independently from other business leaders to relieve stress, increase efficiencies and smooth out business and system flows.

“Although it is challenging to convert a traditionally-established equipment finance company like us, my vision is to transform us from ‘a finance company with good technology’ to ‘a technology company doing finance,’” Tohda says. “It may sound like a cliché, but I believe it is vital to make the business leaders stay in this mindset and always look for technology initiatives to drive the business.”

Tohda believes this transformation will require technical expertise and collaboration to bring significant changes to the company’s management and culture.

“I am in the unique role of providing the company with these needs, and we are on the journey for the transformation,” Tohda said. “Also, being an Asian American, I know the importance of understanding the differences and work[ing] towards a mutual goal.”

Tohda is currently working with business teams to bring data back to users with technology initiatives like data visualization and user-driven predictive analysis models. He says this will appear to be “rocket science” to many users, but providing more access and control to data drives creativity and leads to innovation.

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Collaboration is Tohda’s passion. He is a member of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association’s Technology Innovation Working Group, which discusses how the industry can cultivate innovation using technology.

“I love to get together with other business and technology leaders to discuss and find solutions to many common pain points,” Tohda says.

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