Celebrating Our Women Leaders

CELEBRATING OUR WOMEN LEADERS SUMIE FUJIMURA - GENERAL MANAGER OF EAST-WEST SEED IN VIETNAM

Sumie Fujimura joins East-West Seed’s roster of women leaders, as the newly appointed General Manager of East-West Seed in Vietnam.

Aside from being an experienced professional in the agribusiness industry, Sumie is also an accomplished triathlete, having earned her Ironman title in 2018.

Question: How are you able to pursue your passion in sports and bring the same level of energy in driving a business?

Sumie's answer: For me, keeping a healthy body and mind are the necessary foundations of being productive at work. To be fulfilled at work makes the rest of life more enjoyable. I feel fortunate to live, travel, work across countries and being able to experience many great opportunities that balance and nurture me as an athlete, a professional, and a person.

The athletic spirit resides within me at a young age. I started competing in swimming when I was young. Sports has been an integral part of my daily life until the present.

Nowadays, I train regularly for triathlon races as a way to keep myself fit both physically and mentally. The key of life is to manage work-life balance well and learning that it is not a trade-off between these two as they are complementary.

EWS Philippines Town Hall 2019

Ironman Triathlon in May 2018

I am a passionate person, especially about work that has a strong purpose, fully supports and makes impacts on young generation development. My passion comes strongly from my gratitude towards my mother and grandmother - the two amazing home-makers who once dreamed of working and traveling overseas. Because their dreams remained dreams as they married and took care of families, like most Japanese women in their generations, they wholeheartedly supported me when I moved to America at the age of 16.

It is the thought of their unrealized dreams that have kept me going when things got tough.

"Joining EWS has unleashed my potential to work professionally regardless of gender."

I have the chance to work with key people in the field in a different area, being able to do many activities as same as male colleagues and be treated equally. I hope my story can inspire women to pursue their dream to be a successful business person, regardless of age, gender or race. I hope I have bridged the dreams for those who paved their way to successful career paths.

Sumie and her mother in Japan