Ben Sparrow | Director

Ben is a lean management consultant with Japanese proficiency and nineteen years experience in the transfer of Japanese lean management know-how to a broad range of industry sectors.

Ben’s experience includes eight years with the Tokyo head office and Australia branch of Japan Management Association Consultants (JMAC). Over this time, he worked extensively with global clients alongside veteran Japanese lean management consultants – including a number of the original developers of lean application to various sectors.

Ben is one of the few non-Japanese globally with a genuine understanding of lean and the Japanese approach to management innovation from its original language and culture. Ben brings a global perspective from his support of companies throughout Oceania, Asia, North America and Europe.

Ben has led hundreds of clients through kaizen training courses, including JMAC’s flagship P-Course training offering, as well as lean tours to Japan annually since 2007 as part of the Shinka Management Lean Japan Tour.

Ben is actively involved in Australia-Japan relations having served in executive roles on a number of peak business and cultural bodies.

Expertise

Lean management
Practical kaizen application
Japanese management innovation
Japan market
Business-level Japanese proficiency (JLPT level 1)

Experience

Japan Management Association Consultants – Consultant

Worked for the pioneering lean consulting firm in Japan supporting Australian, Japanese and global clients in the practical application of lean. As the only native English-speaker in the JMA Group, managed projects for the Global Division, including the establishment of JMAC’s Australia branch.

Nippon Bunri University – Lecturer

Full-time lecturer over four years in the business and engineering schools of a private university in southern Japan.

National Federation of Australia-Japan Societies – President

Directed the peak body in Australia for the promotion of Australia-Japan cultural and trade activities. Engaged extensively with the equivalent body in Japan, forming closer business and cultural ties between the two nations.

Australia-Japan Business Council of South Australia – Deputy Chair

Relaunched the Council in 2006 with a committee of talented South Australian business people with an eagerness to further drive the state’s business relationship with Japan.

Other Shinka Management Team Members