Team

Yuta Inoue

Executive Director

I have experience in leading the growth of an innovation studio. I’ve worked on consulting, business development, and creativity for corporate reform and development projects. My primary focus has been on organizational change, cultural development, and new business creation.

PASSION & INTEREST

Collaboration of Business, Academia, Government, and Civil Society

I believe that society would be more exciting if we mixed and mingled more. Large corporations should acquire startups to drive change, and private sector talent should get more involved in government agencies. It's also okay for nonprofits and businesses to merge. What should we do to make this happen?

Empowerment of Creators

Craftsmen, creators, writers, artists, poets, designers, brewers, engineers – people who can create something with their own hands are like wizards to me. What can we do to help them continue creating in a vibrant and lively way?

Diverse and Active Communities

To make Japan a more interesting place, I think each region needs to be more unique, active, and cool. How can we revitalize the economy, industry, community, urban development, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, crafts, and culture?

BACKGROUND

After working in management consulting at McKinsey, I became independent and supported corporate transformation in Japan and the US. I also launched an educational program for young people affected by natural disasters. Later, I established Quantum under the umbrella of TBWA\HAKUHODO, one of Asia’s leading advertising agencies. After its spin-off, I oversaw innovation support, joint business development, and investment as CSO and CIO.

I participated in the founding of KESIKI and joined in 2020. I am also involved in the operation of creative studio Whatever and craft brand kras. I am a jury member for the Good Design Award and TISDC (Taiwan), and have experience in collaboration between business, academia, government, and civil society, such as launching the Ministry of Education’s first public-private partnership project “Tobitate Study Abroad Japan” program and serving as a visiting associate professor at Kyushu University’s GIC.