INTERVIEW

After joining KDDI, Chikara Endo worked on verification tasks for base station deployment, the virtualization of mobile equipment, and demonstration experiments involving network slicing technology. Having gained a broad perspective by supporting the entire Open RAN project as part of the project management office, later transferring to xGN to deepen expertise in development technologies and progress toward the envisioned career path.

A Turning Point: From Overseeing Entire Processes to Deepening Technical Expertise

I joined KDDI because I was conducting research on communication technology at university.

Before transferring to xGN, I worked in the project management office (PMO) for the Open RAN project, overseeing the entire process from planning and development to construction and operations.

Serving as a PMO allowed me to gain a broad perspective by taking a bird’s-eye view of a large-scale project.

However, as an engineer, I also felt a dilemma: my understanding of each process tended to remain on the surface, and the significant amount of coordination work left limited time to engage deeply with the technology itself.

Today, I hold dual roles in both the engineering and project management divisions at xGN.

With more than 30 projects running in parallel at any given time, employees at xGN contribute to initiatives on an individual—not departmental—basis.

In the engineering division, I am involved in the highly complex development of base stations for the Open RAN project, handling progress management, issue resolution, and cross-departmental coordination.

In the project management division, I support the company’s profitability by building frameworks for workload management, visualizing individual work performance, and improving the efficiency of monitoring and reporting so that operational status across xGN can be accurately tracked.

Working at the intersection of cutting-edge technologies—those that directly contribute to network efficiency, flexibility, and enhanced customer experiences—while also bearing responsibility for the company’s reliability and financial performance gives me a strong sense of purpose and fulfillment.

Cross-functional collaboration: The diversity essential for tackling challenges in cutting-edge fields

The development of Open RAN represents a major shift from the traditional framework of building and operating base station networks.

Because it is based on open specifications, base stations can be built and maintained by combining equipment from multiple vendors.

This approach is expected to bring a range of benefits, including avoiding vendor lock-in, enhancing network flexibility, and accelerating and streamlining both construction and operations.

At the same time, ensuring specification consistency and managing the increased complexity of system design make the work highly challenging.

Overcoming the diverse challenges that arise in such cutting-edge technological domains requires close collaboration among all stakeholders.

It is essential not only to focus on technology, but also to embrace different cultures and values, creating an environment where people can engage in discussions from multiple perspectives while respecting one another.

I believe that fostering this kind of diversity-driven collaboration ultimately contributes to the creation of new value experiences that xGN aims to deliver.

In addition to my technical responsibilities, I am also involved in planning and organizing initiatives to strengthen employee engagement.

At xGN—where members from KDDI and CTC, each with distinct histories and backgrounds, come together—we host events that allow employees who may not normally interact to connect across departments and job levels.

These gatherings generate countless smiles every time, and the communication that emerges from these moments has become one of the great joys in my work.

Becoming an engineer who contributes to society with both breadth and depth

Since joining xGN, I feel that I have been able to engage with my work both more broadly and more deeply.

By taking on responsibilities across multiple divisions, I now interact with a wider range of colleagues and gain exposure to technical fields beyond the projects I directly oversee.

This has enabled me to acquire new knowledge and perspectives I had never encountered before.

Even in areas where my understanding once remained surface-level, I can formulate my own hypotheses and identify pathways toward solutions when issues arise.

By expanding my expertise through deepening my technical capabilities and strengthening my communication skills at xGN, I believe that if I return to a project management role in the future, I will be able to make decisions grounded in stronger technical insight and a more holistic sense of optimization.
I hope to deliver value while bringing stakeholders together.

With the wealth of learning opportunities available at xGN, I aim to continue growing and evolving into an engineer who can make meaningful contributions to society.