Executive Assistant

Role purpose 

Provide high-impact, confidential executive support to the Japan CEO and Head of Banking. The role ensures the smooth running of day-to-day priorities through proactive diary management, stakeholder coordination (internal and external), travel and logistics planning, and disciplined administration (expenses, business cards, records). The Executive Assistant will operate with discretion, pace, and strong judgement in a client-facing environment.

Key responsibilities 

Executive diary and stakeholder management 

- Own and optimise the CEO’s calendar, balancing client commitments, internal governance, and leadership priorities. 

- Arrange client meetings end-to-end, coordinating with external executive assistants and client teams to confirm agendas, attendees, locations, and timings. 

- Coordinate internal meetings across senior stakeholders, ensuring materials, dial-ins/rooms, and pre-reads are in place. 

- Anticipate scheduling conflicts and propose solutions, prioritising time-critical and high-impact activities.

Travel, logistics, and on-the-day execution 

- Liaise with the corporate driver to plan daily logistics, including pick-up/drop-off times, routes, and last-minute changes. 

- Work with the travel agent to arrange domestic and international business trips (flights, hotels, ground transport, itineraries), ensuring alignment with business needs and any relevant travel requirements. 

- Maintain clear itineraries and ensure the CEO is fully briefed on movements, meeting locations, and timing.

Administration, expenses, and business support 

- Prepare and submit expenses in the relevant system, ensuring accuracy, appropriate coding, and timely reimbursement. 

- Manage business card requests and inventory, coordinating ordering and distribution as needed. 

- Maintain organised records of key contacts, meeting details, and recurring commitments. 

- Support ad hoc administrative tasks and special projects as required, handling sensitive information with discretion.

Required experience and qualifications 

• Minimum 10 years’ experience as an Executive Assistant supporting senior executives (C-suite or equivalent), ideally within financial services or a similarly fast-paced, client-driven environment. 
• Proven experience managing complex diaries across multiple stakeholders and time zones. 
• Demonstrated experience coordinating travel and logistics with external vendors (travel agent, driver) and internal teams.

Skills and capabilities 

• Bilingual communication: strong written and verbal Japanese and English, with confidence engaging senior internal stakeholders and external clients. 
• Highly detail-oriented with strong follow-through and a “no surprises” approach. 
• Able to work under pressure, manage competing priorities, and respond calmly to last-minute changes. 
• Strong judgement, discretion, and professionalism when handling confidential information. 
• Fundamental PC skills, including Microsoft Excel and Word (plus Outlook/Teams for scheduling and coordination).

Working style / behaviours 

• Proactive, organised, and solutions-focused; anticipates needs rather than waiting for instructions. 
• Collaborative and relationship-driven; builds trust with internal teams and external counterparts. 
• Reliable and accountable; meets deadlines and maintains high standards of accuracy.