David Michels
Partner,
Managing Partner of Bain Japan
About David
Expertise
David Michels is the managing partner of Bain Japan and a senior Transformation coach.
Over his 25+ year career at Bain, David has led transformations across multiple industries and geographies, including the U.S., South America, Europe, India, and Japan.
He works with companies on all aspects of the transformation process—from structuring the program, to orchestrating the change, to energizing the organization. David is known for his ability to inspire executives and their teams and roll up his sleeves to help them deliver sustained results. His approach emphasizes the power of inspirational leadership, insight-rich analytics, and pragmatic co-creation.
David is a leader in Bain’s Global Change and Transformation Practice and regularly publishes on related topics, including in Harvard Business Review and a monthly column in Forbes.com.
Recent Insights
- “Four Ways Leaders Can Make AI Redesigns Stick,” Forbes.com,Şubat 2026
- “M&A’s Leadership Moment,” Forbes.com,Aralık 2025, Article
- “In the Rush to Harness AI, Don’t Lose Sight of Your Corporate Purpose,” Forbes.com,Kasım 2025, Article
- “The Board’s Edge in Turbulent Times: Strategic Backlogs,” Forbes.com,Eylül 2025, Article
- “AI Is Changing Work. Is Your Talent Strategy Evolving Too?,” Forbes.com,Temmuz 2025
- “Leading Change In The AI Era: Familiar Rules, New Realities,” Forbes.com,Mayıs 2025, Article
- “What Every Business Leader Wants To Know About Tariffs,” Forbes.com,Nisan 2025, Article
- “Using External Perspective to Build Resilience and Drive Change,” Forbes.com,Mart 2025, Article
- “Change Management in the AI Era: Lessons from the Tech Industry,” Forbes.com,Şubat 2025, Article
- “CEO Reading List: Three Books to Help Better Understand Geopolitics Today,” Forbes.com,Ocak 2025, Article
- “Post-Globalization: Five Steps for Business Leaders Outside the U.S.,” Forbes.com,Aralık 2024, Article
- “Embracing Transformation to Maximize Organizational Potential,” Executives on Transformations,Kasım 2024, Video
- “From Disillusionment to Action: Four Ways CEOs Can Boost Sustainability,” Forbes.com,Ekim 2024, Article
- “Three Tips for Business Plans and Budgeting in a Volatile Market,” Forbes.com,Eylül 2024, Article
- “Executive Reading: Resources For Catching Up On Generative AI,” Forbes.com,Ağustos 2024, Article
- “Three Lessons On Nurturing Young Talent,” Forbes.com,Ağustos 2024, Article
- “The Six Trends CEOs See Shaping Global Business Today,” Forbes.com,Haziran 2024, Article
- “The Six New Principles Of A Successful Corporate Transformation,” Forbes.com,Mayıs 2024, Article
- “Fresh Thinking On Aging Leaders,” Forbes.com,Nisan 2024, Article
- “It’s Bad News That So Few Companies Have A Clear Purpose,” Forbes.com,Mart 2024, Article