Consultants / Researchers

Background

Maika Watanuki is a Senior Consultant at NRIC. She has engaged in consulting and advisory projects to improve logistics network, warehouse operations as well as developing strategies / measures to manage inventories. Her works often cover not only logistics but also whole supply chain. She always emphasizes implementable measures and advise to make changes for clients. Moreover, she is good at developing new business models and future policies/strategies. She is currently interested in Circular Economy (and sustainability) x Logistics.

Prior to joining NRIC in 2018, she was with the Infrastructure & PPP Team at PwC Advisory. She worked on infrastructure export studies for both policy makers and private companies. Also, she worked for the Trade and Competitiveness unit at the World Bank as a Trade Facilitation Analyst. She engaged in upstream advisory services for governments in the trade transport logistics domain for countries in Africa, as well as those in Southeast Asia. She contributed to outputs on trade logistics to promote foreign and regional trades and to reduce trade costs for countries from the logistics aspect. In her early career, she was in the freight forwarding industry where she gained her expertise in air & ocean forwarding operations.

She holds a M.A. in International Transcultural Studies from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Qualification

• MA (International Transcultural Studies) from Teachers College, Columbia University (New York, USA)

Expertise

• Logistics strategy development, Overall supply chain optimization, Consolidation of logistics centers/M&A, Improvement of transportation and delivery networks, Customized surveys
• Circular economy, New business development, Logistics in emerging markets

Project

• Suggested comprehensive logistics improvement to a foreign automotive parts manufacturer
• Supported an automotive parts manufacturer in establishing a supply chain management system to ensure stable supply of materials to an overseas factory
• Facilitated a working group to prepare logistics CO2 emission calculation guidelines by an electronic components industry association, involving 16 participating companies
• Supported a cosmetics manufacturer in inventory reduction at subsidiaries in China
• Supported a medical device manufacturer in restructuring (consolidation and abolition) of logistics centers /warehouses at
• Supported a logistics company in developing a new business model proposal
• Concept formulation and market size survey for an international air cargo handling facility
• Studies of dry ports in ASEAN
• Industry-specific studies and development of industry-specific logistics guides

Papers

• NX Logistics Research Institute and Consulting. Logistics Guidebook 2024 – Introductory Overview / Practical Overview / Digital Overview. 2024. Kindle Edition.
• NX Logistics Research Institute and Consulting. Logistics Technical Handbook 2024. Kindle Edition.
• Review of logistics service regulations for freight forwarding businesses: what should be addressed for a better logistics regulatory framework ? (2015, World Bank)