[Customer Interview] Mr. Kimihiko Asabe, Nomura Research Institute (NRI)

[Customer Interview] Mr. Kimihiko Asabe, Nomura Research Institute (NRI)

Since 2015, the NRI Fukuoka Development Center has collaborated with multiple companies in Vietnam, successfully delivering numerous system development projects. As project scope expanded, the need for a “partner capable of handling upstream processes” increased—this led to the encounter with SY Partners (SYP). 

Through trial projects, NRI confirmed SYP’s ability to take on upstream responsibilities, and since then, we have continued to entrust them with ongoing projects. 

In this interview, we asked Mr. Asabe about the first encounter with SYP, the process of building trust, and his outlook for the future. 

野村総合研究所 (NRI)・浅辺 公彦様

Mr. Asabe Kimihiko, Nomura Research Institute (NRI) 
Deputy Division Manager, DX Platform Division

Q
[SYP] Could you share what prompted you to work with us?
A

[Mr. Asabe - NRI] Since 2015, NRI Fukuoka Development Center has partnered with various companies in Vietnam and currently outsources projects to six firms. At that time, we recognized the strength of Vietnamese companies in their advanced technical expertise and strong development capabilities. Therefore, NRI Fukuoka focused on upstream processes, while Vietnamese partners handled development, leading to many successful projects. 

However, as collaboration expanded, resource limitations at NRI Fukuoka became evident, and we needed partners in Vietnam to also handle upstream processes. Around this time, we met SYP. Learning that President Ngoc had extensive upstream experience, we became very interested. We decided to test this by assigning a small trial project starting from the upstream phase. 

Q
[SYP] Did you have any initial concerns?
A

[Mr. Asabe - NRI] Advancing upstream processes requires not only strong design capabilities but also precise Japanese language proficiency. At the trial stage, we were uncertain whether SYP could deliver high-quality upstream deliverables in Japanese. 

Q
[SYP] Were those concerns resolved?
A

[Mr. Asabe - NRI] Yes, completely. While there were some issues, the trial confirmed that SYP could be fully entrusted with upstream processes. In addition to strong design skills, they demonstrated the ability to apply the latest front-end technologies and translate them into Japanese deliverables. We also confirmed that SYP has multiple engineers capable of leading upstream processes. 

Q
[SYP] What aspects of working with SYP have been most positive?
A

[Mr. Asabe - NRI] By entrusting upstream processes to SYP, NRI Fukuoka staff can now focus more on business growth activities. Furthermore, SYP places strong emphasis on quality and has established robust quality assurance processes. As a result, we can confidently entrust them with end-to-end system development. 

Q
[SYP] Could you share your expectations for the future?
A

[Mr. Asabe - NRI] Training engineers capable of handling upstream processes takes time. For Vietnamese engineers, this requires not only strong design and technical skills but also improved Japanese proficiency, which is a significant challenge. We believe SYP has the right training schemes and processes to make this possible. As mentioned earlier, SYP also has methodologies to ensure stability and quality in projects. In all projects entrusted so far, they have consistently delivered results. Today, they are an indispensable partner. 

Going forward, we aim to leverage SYP’s advanced talent, processes, and schemes even more, working together for faster growth.