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Ayako Tamiya, Japan

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Senior Advisor

DFDL, Cambodia Office

International Development Studies Program (’10)

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Ayako is currently a Senior Adviser at DFDL, an international law firm in Southeast Asia, and a member of the Banking and Finance group and Japan Desk which is responsible for supporting Japanese investors in Southeast Asia, especially the Mekong region. Prior to joining DFDL, she worked at the Ministry of Justice in Cambodia as a Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) expert for two years since 2011. She was seconded from a Japanese law firm, Atsumi & Sakai (Tokyo) to DFDL in May 2013 and started her new career.
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She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Hokkaido University, Japan and a Master of International Development Studies from GRIPS. She is admitted to bar in Japan (Tokyo- Daiichi Bar Association) and a member of the International Legal Assistance Group.

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Please tell us about your career path so far. What is your area of specialization and how did you come to work in this area?

I had worked as a lawyer and dealt with mainly domestic cases for about eight years in Tokyo. Eventually, I was interested in international cooperation but I did not know how I could be involved in such field. I entered GRIPS to find the answer. During my studies I had internships at UNDP in New York and in Mozambique. The internships and experiences in GRIPS have had a huge impact on my life and I decided I wanted to work in developing countries after my graduation from GRIPS.

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After my graduation, I found a job advert by JICA for experts on legal assistance in Cambodia and Vietnam. I applied and was selected as a legal expert for Cambodia. I was seconded to Cambodia in March 2011. My main task was the dissemination of the new Civil Code, which was drafted with the support of Japan and applied in December 2011, to legal professionals such as officials of the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and lawyers in the Bar Association of the Kingdom of Cambodia (BAKC). Through my activities for two years, I realized the gap between laws and practices. Practitioners and many foreign investors were struggling with such gap. One of the reasons is that the laws do not fit the culture, custom and practice of Cambodia well, or lack of laws. Another reason is that the practitioners do not really understand the laws yet because they do not have enough opportunity to learn the details of such laws.

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Before, I thought of international cooperation and business as two separate worlds and I was not interested in business at all. I, however, realized the basic and important point that the development of the economy is a key issue for development of the country and that foreign investors are key actors in the economic development. Furthermore, knowledge of the practice and customs of the country is crucial for legal assistance from donor countries. Finally I decided to move my standing position to the business field and to support foreign investors in Southeast Asia for a while. And I would like to feedback my experiences in practice to legal assistance projects in developing countries in the future.

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You are currently Senior Advisor at DFDL in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Please tell us about DFDL and your main tasks and responsibilities?

In 1994, DFDL was founded in Vientiane, Laos with a unique vision to build a leading integrated international law firm that offers investors a unique combination of international-standard, on the ground experience in the frontier markets of Asia, with technical excellence across Southeast Asia. Since then, DFDL has expanded its presence in Asia, with over 120 lawyers and 250 staff in our 12 offices and practices in Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia and Bangladesh.

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I am based in Cambodia and a member of the Japan Desk, which was established in 2012. These days, many Japanese companies are looking for other places than “China plus 1″ for their investments and they have a big interest in the Mekong area. However, the legal and judicial system in such region is still underdeveloped and in progress. Laws are not really accurate and consistent and there are sometimes gaps between laws and practices as I mentioned earlier. My main task in DFDL is to support mainly the Japanese investors and find solutions to make their investment smooth and effective in this region. Particularly, I have been covering Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.

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What are some of the biggest challenges you face in your work? And what has been the most interesting or rewarding aspects of your career thus far?

The biggest challenge in my work is to find a solution for my client in a situation that there is no precedent and no textbook and each official sometimes has a different opinion.

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In my office, I have colleagues from Cambodia, other Asian and Western countries. This mixture of cultures is interesting and enjoyable. The most rewarding is when our clients

start a business successfully and are hiring many local people. It would be great and beneficial for both the clients and the local people because they can improve their skills and quality of life.

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What is the most important thing you got out of your studies here, and how has your experience at GRIPS prepared you for future endeavours?

To be honest, I f

orgot how to use the STATA completely (Sorry, professors…). The most important thing for me is that I could learn – often first-hand from my fellow students – about the global issues that are happening and the international efforts that are going on, or would be necessary in the world. It was enough to open my eyes and I will keep finding another opportunity to be involved in the international cooperation field.

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What is your fondest memory of your

time spent at GRIPS?

Of course, it is the time I spent with my friends from all over the world. I am a lazy person and have not contacted friends so often. But I clearly remember the time studying, discussing, eating, dancing and traveling together. GRIPS gave me precious friends and opened my eyes to the world.

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You have been living outside Japan for a few years now. What do you miss about Japan and what do you like about living in Cambodia?

I like Japan, but have not missed my country so much because there are many places in the world where I cannot resist to visit. In Cambodia, I like the people, food, the colorful flowers, the atmosphere and flow of time. I have no inconvenience in Cambodia except the lack of variety of “Sashimi”. Phnom Penh is my second hometown now.

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What is your favorite thing to do when you are not working?

I like to take a walk and explore Phnom Penh, even under strong sunshine. Every time I go out, I discover new things. I also like to see people in different sectors. New information and different ideas stipulate and refresh my brain.

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How do you maintain a balance between your work and the rest of your life?

I am not good at keeping a balance between my work and life. If I encounter a difficult matter, I think of it even during my sleep. However, I am trying to do exercise as much as I can and try to get rid of the matter from my brain completely. Conversation and laughing loudly with my close friends are also essential for me.

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Go to GRIPS just with passion and curiosity! You can get much more experience and establish many more valuable relationships than you expected.

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Do you have any suggestions on how to further utilize the GRIPS alumni network?

Actually I had not known the alumni network well so far. I was pleasantly surprised to learn about the existence of Local Alumni Groups. I am likely to go on business trips to Southeast Asian countries and would like to utilize this network effectively from now on.

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