23.06.2026
The topic of the fifth consecutive closing lecture for the MBA programs at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration (FEBA) of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, delivered by Prof. Emeritus Hiroo Takahashi of Hakuoh University, Japan, and Visiting Professor at FEBA, was “The Spirit of Challenge”, one of Nestlé’s core corporate values. Although this value was formally articulated only relatively recently (within the last decade), it reflects longstanding principles of continuous improvement, organizational learning, and the pursuit of excellence that have characterized the Nestlé Continuous Excellence (NCE) program for many years.
The lecture was part of the Organizational Theory course and exemplified the fusion philosophy of teaching based on combining different cultural traditions and integrating management theory and practice with the performing arts—an approach characteristic of both the MBA programme and Professor Takahashi’s academic work.
Since the 2020/2021 academic year, the MBA programme has opened each academic season with a concert. The first was performed by the Sredets Chamber Choir on October 2, 2020, in the Aula of Sofia University. In 2021, the opening ceremony took place at Liberation Theatre and featured a joint concert by Valentin Guevski (co-founder of the first lineup of BTR band) and Krasimir Sholdev with their project Shout Acoustic, Georgi Arsov (former lead vocalist of Atlas), Andriyan Asenov from Alma Alter Theatre, Wang Lizhu and Sun Hailu (Chinese students at the National Academy of Music), and Amjad Jad, a popular Syrian musician living in Sofia.
Subsequent years featured musical performances both inside (Shout Acoustic again in 2022) and in front of the FEBA building by groups such as Algerino Véro, led by Mahrez Hachemi (2023), and the Dixieland All Stars ensemble featuring Ventsislav Blagoev, Professor Vladimir Radulov, and Neveliyan Gemizhev (2024). Talented students also participated, including Viktor Vladkov and Soheil Ilchizadeh, an Iranian composer and pianist LadyG (Georgia Pavlova) joined the celebrations with her project Multilingual in 2025.
Professor Takahashi’s lectures take place on the final Friday of the summer semester and focus on a distinctive feature of a world-renowned company: Nestlé (2026), Sega (2025), Meiji (2024), Toyota (2023), and Kikkoman (2022), following the inaugural lecture on business ethics and Japanese management in 2021. Professor Takahashi serves as Honorary Chair of the Japanese Society for Business Ethics.
According to Professor Takahashi, the concept of the “Spirit of Challenge” is intrinsically linked to Nestlé. The company was founded by the immigrant Henri Nestlé in Switzerland—a country whose development has likewise been shaped by the interaction of diverse cultural and linguistic communities and generations of immigrants. Consequently, the pursuit of new opportunities, openness to diversity, and the willingness to cross boundaries have become natural elements of both Nestlé’s history and the philosophy underlying the Spirit of Challenge.
In 2021, Professor Takahashi published his book Everything Originated from Milk: The History and Development of Nestlé. The book presents important insights into corporate behaviour and innovation ecosystems in small countries with limited natural resources. Milk becomes a symbol of transforming limited resources from small domestic markets into global businesses. Acquisitions emerge as a strategic capability, as does the decentralization of research and development. Business ethics is portrayed not as a cost but as a strategic asset. One of the book’s most original concepts is the transformation of corporate social responsibility into the creation of shared value through adaptation to local conditions.
The event was co-organized with the support of Nestlé Bulgaria, represented by Chief Executive Officer Mr. Petar Stoilov and Ms. Lilyana Dimitrova, Learning and Development Manager. Ms. Venelina Krasteva, CTAG Cluster Lead Kit Kat, Nestle, and Mr. Hristo Markov, Production Manager at the Sofia factory, presented the innovative role of the Bulgarian operation within the Group: developing and piloting new technologies and products that can later be introduced beyond Bulgaria’s borders. This role as an innovation hub within multinational corporations is becoming increasingly common in Bulgaria across a variety of sectors.
A fusion element of the reception following the lecture was a specially developed pilot product: a KitKat bar with a subtle rose flavor, conceived as a Bulgarian counterpart to the Japanese KitKat Matcha. Whether this experiment will ultimately reach commercial market testing remains to be seen.
Fusion cuisine combines techniques, ingredients, and traditions from different cultures and regions into a single dish, reflecting the fusion philosophy embraced in the teaching approaches of Professors Takahashi and Yalamov.
Professor Maria Yotova of Ritsumeikan University in Japan, who co-authored with Professor Takahashi the book When Taste Crosses Borders: Management Challenges in the Global Food Business (published in Japanese in 2025), explained how Nestlé successfully positioned KitKat as a leading chocolate brand in Japan, closely associated with academic success among school and university students. In Japanese, “KitKat” sounds remarkably similar to the phrase Kitto Katsu—“You will surely succeed”.
Professor Yotova participated as a guest lecturer alongside Professor Takahashi for the second time, following the lecture on Meiji (2024) and the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Bulgarian yogurt production in Japan. Every year, she brings her students from Ritsumeikan University to visit Bulgarian farms, dairy producers, and restaurants as part of their practical training and as a way of validating food innovation concepts involving yogurt, banitsa, and other iconic Bulgarian foods.
Professor Todor Yalamov, Director of the Strategic Management specialization within the MBA programme and the principal organizer of the program’s annual opening and closing events, moderated the discussion following the engaging lectures. The event was honored by the presence of His Excellency Chikahisa Sumi, Ambassador of Japan to Bulgaria, faculty members from the Department of Japanese Studies at Sofia University, musicians, and representatives of various business partners of FEBA.
The audience’s good spirits were further enhanced by performances from Ms. Reiko Nomura, composer and pianist living between Japan and Bulgaria, and Mr. Gocho Prakov, clarinetist with the Plovdiv State Opera and the Pazardzhik Symphony Orchestra. They had previously participated in the celebrations marking the FEBA’s 35th anniversary on May 16, 2025, together with the youth band Freakdale. The group also contributes to the spirit of fusion culture through its blend of alternative rock, funk, and soul.
The Spirit of Challenge that drives Nestlé also inspires the MBA programs specializing in Strategic Management, Human Resource Management, and Management Information Systems. Continuous improvement (kaizen) remains an imperative for all AMBA-accredited business schools.