David Kadaka – GC Powerlist
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Japan 2025

Information technology

David Kadaka

Chief legal officer and senior vice president, legal division | Rakuten Symphony

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Japan 2025

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David Kadaka

Chief legal officer and senior vice president, legal division | Rakuten Symphony

Team Size: Over 20

What are the most significant cases, projects or transactions that you and your legal team have recently been involved in?

Our legal division at Rakuten Symphony supports the company’s global operations across advanced telecom technologies—spanning radio access networks, OSS, cloud, cybersecurity, and digital services. We advise on M&A, strategic alliances, regulatory frameworks, and market entry.

One of our significant recent undertakings has been a cross-border 5G rollout, which required navigating regulatory frameworks and contractual obligations, managing operational risks, and aligning internal and external stakeholders around commerciality. We have also advised on multiple strategic partnerships and growth transactions across the Americas and Europe, expanding our solutions portfolio and ecosystem footprint.

In parallel, we are proactively addressing the legal implications of generative AI, both externally in product deployment and internally as we modernise legal operations. By adopting data-informed processes and automation, we are building a legal team that can support innovation at the pace of business.

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crisis to ensure the organisation’s resilience?

We view legal as a stabilising force—both a strategic partner and a high-level problem solver. In times of disruption, our mandate is to bring structure, clarity, and optionality.

We rely on scenario planning and early legal involvement to anticipate risk and define contract contingencies before crises unfold. When pressure builds, our team is embedded with business leadership to provide actionable advice, not just issue-spotting.

Recent matters have underscored the value of responsiveness, transparency, and cross-functional trust. Our aim is not just to protect the organisation, but to strengthen it under stress, enabling long-term resilience.

Given the current geopolitical shifts and growing uncertainties around international free trade, has your company’s risk profile evolved, and are you taking measures to address these challenges?

Geopolitical fragmentation and shifting trade norms directly affect our legal strategy. We operate in a diverse set of legal systems, and our team plays an active role in adapting to uncertainty.

We continuously assess how developments in law, policy, and technology affect cross-border transactions. We have been involved in early-stage legal frameworks for non-terrestrial networks in Japan and are following the global adoption of open RAN closely. These are emerging areas that demand legal foresight, requiring us to shape structures that are both compliant and actionable.

We aim to position legal as an enabler of innovation, even in uncertain global contexts.

How does your team contribute to the overall business strategy of the company? Can you share an example of a recent legal-led initiative that had a significant impact?

Legal is an active voice in our strategic planning. Our team is embedded in product and commercial discussions from the outset—contributing legal insight to new business models, go-to-market strategy, and cross-functional planning

One recent example was our role in supporting expansion in Asia. Legal led engagement with government stakeholders, assessed shifting regulatory conditions, and navigated customer and partner agreements across multiple jurisdictions. Our early, hands-on involvement accelerated market entry while ensuring alignment with local requirements.

We also continue to drive internal legal transformation—embracing AI and workflow automation to increase impact and agility.

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