JAPAN
FACILITATING GLOBAL BUSINESS At Amazon Tokyo, alumnus keeps supply chain running smoothly
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wen Grieb, L’08, always found the Far East alluring. After a college course in Eastern Civilizations he set his sights on living abroad, eventually teaching English for three years in Kyushu, Japan, through the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program. After his stint in Japan, Grieb returned to the U.S. for law school. He considered universities on the coasts and in Hawaii, but ultimately it was KU’s affordable price tag and International and Comparative Law Program that drew him to Lawrence. “I did not want to graduate with six-figure debt,” Grieb said. “The international law program at KU was a final factor that helped seal the deal and made me feel I would not be ‘missing out’ if I stayed in Kansas.” In addition to his legal curriculum, Grieb took courses in Business Associations, Tax and International Trade, with plans to pursue a career in finance. Armed with a legal degree, business skills and a working knowledge of Japanese, Grieb landed a position with Deloitte Consulting in Tokyo. “It is difficult to overstate the confidence having a background in law gives you in understanding the risks of a business,” Grieb said. Then Lehman Brothers collapsed, and the repercussions were felt throughout the industry. “I got to be part of the team that was working to integrate Lehman and Nomura’s systems after the acquisition,” Grieb said. “Some of the most interesting work we had was in global system integration projects. IT is very logical and quantitative, similar to tax law. I enjoy that type of work.”
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After five years as a consultant, Grieb transitioned to a career in the IT field, eventually becoming a senior financial analyst for Amazon in Tokyo. Grieb’s team acts as financial advisors for the company, coaching managers on how to make savvy business decisions while maintaining excellent customer service. Each step in Amazon’s supply chain is carefully orchestrated to minimize costs and maximize value. For Grieb’s team, that means selecting cost-effective fulfillment locations to store inventory and package and ship customer orders. Grieb visits potential sites, meets with investors and negotiates with construction managers, then develops contracts that protect Amazon’s rights while still offering flexibility. Amazon’s rapid growth brings plenty of challenge and opportunity for professional development. The company is currently expanding to China, bringing new projects and obstacles for Grieb’s team. While Grieb misses the open spaces and expansive backyards of the Midwest, he enjoys Japan’s fresh, healthy cuisine, safe cities and excellent public transportation system — all factors that convinced Grieb and his wife, also a KU graduate, that Tokyo was a good place to settle down and raise a family. “Japan is so safe that you routinely see very young children riding trains by themselves or walking around the neighborhood without an adult,” Grieb said. Being situated in the East has also allowed Grieb to visit Hawaii, Okinawa, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Palau. He doesn’t plan on slowing down anytime soon. “There are plenty of other places I still hope to go.” Pictured: Owen Grieb with his wife and young children.