Yoshiko Shinohara
Yoshiko Shinohara | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1934 |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, philanthropist |
| Known for | Founder of Persol Holdings (formerly Tempstaff), Japan's first self-made female billionaire |
Yoshiko Shinohara is a prominent Japanese entrepreneur and philanthropist. She established Persol Holdings, initially known as Tempstaff, in 1973 and guided the company until her retirement in 2016, after which she was honored with the title of chairman emeritus. In 2017, Shinohara achieved the distinction of becoming Japan’s first female billionaire who built her fortune independently.
Early life and education
Born in 1934 to a father who was a school principal and a mother working as a midwife, Shinohara experienced hardship during World War II, including the loss of her father at the age of eight. She completed her studies at Yokohama Eiri Girls High School in 1953. Shortly after finishing high school, she married at 20 but ended the marriage soon afterward, opting not to remarry or have children.
Career
After returning to Japan, Shinohara initiated Tempstaff in 1973 from a modest one-bedroom apartment, drawing inspiration from her observations abroad where women engaged in temporary employment. At 38 years old and newly divorced, she launched the business despite temporary staffing being prohibited under Japanese law at that time. The company’s initial workforce consisted exclusively of women; however, men were incorporated starting in 1988. By 2009, the employee composition was approximately 60% female and 40% male.
Although Shinohara stepped down as chairman in 2016, she maintained the honorary position of chairman emeritus. As of 2020, she retained an ownership stake of 11% in Persol Holdings. By early 2023, following a significant increase in her company’s stock value, she became Japan’s first self-made female billionaire, with Forbes estimating her net worth at $965 million.
Her leadership approach centers on the principle "start small, grow it large," underscoring women’s capacity to develop enterprises gradually and implement pragmatic ideas effectively.
Awards
Shinohara has been acknowledged by Forbes as one of the world’s most influential women executives, recognized by the Financial Times as a leading figure among women in global business, and listed by Fortune for nine consecutive years as one of the most powerful women in business. Furthermore, BusinessWeek honored her as one of the "Stars of Asia Entrepreneurs." She remains Japan’s sole self-made billionaire woman.
Philanthropy and advocacy
In 2016, Shinohara contributed $140 million worth of stock to create the Yoshiko Shinohara Memorial Foundation, which offers scholarships to students aiming for careers in nursing, social work, or childcare services. Her decision to retire from Persol Holdings to dedicate herself to philanthropy reflects a broader pattern where affluent women are more inclined than their male counterparts to engage in charitable giving. Additionally, she champions governmental initiatives designed to enhance female workforce participation.