Thomas Yang and Kapil Pandit Profiled by Diversity Journal for Asian Leadership Awards
Akin corporate partner Thomas Yang and investment management partner Kapil Pandit have been featured in Profiles in Diversity Journal for their recent recognitions as 2024 Asian Leadership Award honorees.
In Thomas’ profile, he describes the skills he has learned throughout his life and career, such as empathy, connection, efficiency and taking risks. He describes a common misconception that hard work alone will achieve success, noting that one must instead work smarter, develop and utilize connections, and always keep the bigger picture in mind. “You cannot be a true leader or be placed in a leadership position without looking up from the hard work to see the big picture.”
Looking back on his upbringing, Thomas describes how he has benefited from “growing up in a variety of environments,” and says that each experience has allowed him “to empathize and connect with people from a wide array of backgrounds and perspectives,” skills which he actively uses in his practice.
In Kapil’s profile, he shares the best guiding principles he has learned, which include discovering “work and teams that inspire you,” the importance “of simple gestures,” finding mentors both “within and outside your organization” and demonstrating “leadership through integrity” and action. He describes a mentor who placed “emphasis on job satisfaction and team dynamics,” and discusses how this mindset ultimately led him on a path to law school, and eventually to become a transactional attorney.
When describing the importance of connection, Kapil shares a poignant memory from his father’s memorial service in which hundreds gathered to remember his father for his generosity and ability to connect with others. Kapil states, “This experience reinforced the importance of these basic principles of interaction, which I endeavor to impart to my children,” and that “maintaining these human connections can significantly ease difficult circumstances.”
To read their full profiles on pages 18 and 19 of PDJ’s Q2 2024 issue, click here.
