Ritsuko Hatano, an energetic sales manager, has steadily climbed the career ladder after she graduated from university a decade ago.
"My first job after university was in a typical Japanese company where women employees wore uniforms and were expected to wash the ashtrays as part of their work schedule. I quit after four years because I realized I was at a dead-end," she laughs.
For the next few years, Hatano, who speaks flawless English and was brought up in Hong Kong, pursued a series of interesting jobs until she landed at Wall Street Associates, a Japanese company started by a British national, that specializes in recruitment.