M&A Case Studies

Masanori Kanda, a pioneer of direct response marketing in Japan. Inspired by Kenichi Ohmae and Yukio Funai, Kanda began his career as a consultant. Why did he decide to join the Funai Research Institute Group at the age of 60? We delve into the background of his "transition from marketer to educator" and the little-known story behind his decision. Kanda even praises the Funai Research Institute Group as "miraculous." A deeply rooted organizational culture of "honesty and a love of learning." He will use AI to pass on his 30 years of accumulated knowledge to the next generation in just three months, aiming to revitalize Japan as a "business development powerhouse." Please see this grand vision for nation-building, undertaken together with young consultants.

Struggling with succession issues, he decided to sell his company in 2023. From multiple offers, he prioritized "business synergies" and "equal dialogue" over acquisition price, and chose Funai Research Institute Group as his partner. This article delves into the reasons behind that choice. Don't miss the candid stories of the CEO's true feelings after being freed from the burden of personal guarantees he had carried for many years, and the behind-the-scenes details of the smooth transition of the company's structure.

The presentation also discusses a new challenge: leveraging the Funai Research Institute Group's customer network to expand its strengths in DX support to other industries. This will be extremely valuable information for business owners considering M&A or business succession. Please read to the end.

An entrepreneur who left an M&A brokerage firm and built a company boasting one of the top due diligence track records in Japan in just three years shares the realities of business growth.

To overcome the "hurdle of recruiting specialized personnel" that he faced behind the scenes of steady growth and to aim for further scaling, he chose to join the Funai Research Institute Group.

"An M&A deal chosen by an M&A professional himself." Kagami says the deciding factor was the "excitement" of investing the next 10 years in the deal.

Please watch the full video to learn about the strengthened recruitment capabilities and synergistic effects achieved through group participation, as well as our passionate vision of becoming "Japan's No. 1 FAS" by 2030.

*MI Consulting Co., Ltd. will cease operations on July 1, 2026.Funai Soken Agata FAS Inc.Following the merger, Kagami assumed the position of Managing Director and Executive Officer of the same company.

We delve into the thoughts of a business owner who started a logistics consulting company at the age of 42.

While the company was steadily growing, it faced management challenges such as talent drain and limitations in its back office. To take the company to the next stage, Takeda chose to join its former biggest rival, the Funai Research Institute Group.

Why did they choose a competitor as a partner? It stemmed from the management team's open-mindedness in acknowledging each other's weaknesses, and their earnest desire to find "partners to walk alongside" in the solitude of running a business alone. This is a must-read interview where they discuss their passionate vision for building the ultimate logistics service and creating a company their employees can be proud of.