Be the conductor of your own law career: Lessons in life, law and leadership with Keiko Uchida
What does it take to transform from a technical legal expert into a strategic conductor of organisational change? Keiko Uchida, Head of Legal and Compliance at Roche Diagnostics Japan, shares her journey to leadership from playing the figurative “violin in an orchestra” to becoming “the conductor.”
Discover what it means to move from solving one case with 100 pieces of evidence to solving 100 questions with almost none, and why doubling productivity in Japanese companies has become Keiko Uchida’s driving purpose.
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In this episode you’ll hear:
The powerful conversation that shifted her entire career trajectory
Why being a housewife became her greatest strength rather than a setback
How Keiko is building a regional legal network across APAC
Her favourite book and other fun facts
About Keiko
Keiko Uchida is the Head of Legal & Compliance at Roche Diagnostics K.K., where she sits on the leadership team as a direct report to the CEO and oversees legal affairs, compliance, data privacy, corporate governance, and risk management across the organization.
Since joining Roche in 2022, Keiko has played a pivotal regional leadership role, earning the “Change Maker of the Year 2024” award for APAC in recognition of her impact in building a high-performing, collaborative legal network across the region, as well as driving market-focused partnerships between legal, security, and commercial operations teams. One of her team members was also recognized as VIP of the Year 2024 within Roche Diagnostics Japan — a reflection of her strength as a people leader.
Before Roche, Keiko served as Corporate Officer, General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer, and Data Privacy Officer at AXA General Insurance Co., Ltd., where she led legal and compliance transformation initiatives during a period of organizational change. She previously held senior legal and corporate secretary roles within AXA, and earlier in her career practiced as a lawyer in private practice after completing her legal training in Japan.
Keiko’s career is uniquely cross-sector, with earlier professional experience in financial institutions including J.P. Morgan and Shinsei Trust Bank, as well as academic work as an Assistant Professor at a research center of The University of Tokyo. She later returned to the University of Tokyo to complete her J.D., following a Master’s degree in law from Kyoto University.
Recognised on the Legal 500 GC Powerlist Japan 2023, a panelist at GC Summit 2024, and co-author of a practical legal handbook on contract law published in 2023, Keiko is known for blending deep legal expertise with organisational leadership and strategic thinking.
Her professional passion lies in balancing opportunity and risk while building high-performing organisations, and outside of work she enjoys traveling and exploring new cultures.
Connect with Keiko
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keiko-uchida-3bab7a30/
Links
How to Win Friends and Influence People: https://amzn.asia/d/09azrBtm
Connect with Catherine
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyeronair
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