Sakie Fukushima, Chairman, Korn/Ferry International Japan
Sakie Fukushima is the Chairman of Korn/Ferry International in Tokyo and a leader in the firm's Global Consumer Market in Japan. Ms. Fukushima specializes in placing executives in senior management positions in American and European multinational corporations operating in Japan. Prior to joining the firm in 1991, she was a consultant at Bain & Company, in Boston and in the Tokyo office. She has also served as a consultant in the Boston headquarters of Braxton International, a strategic management consulting firm, and as a Japanese instructor at Harvard University. Ms. Fukushima is also a member of the Board of Directors of Sony Corporation and Benesse Corporation.
Merle Aiko Okawara, Chairperson, JC Comsa Corporation
Merle Aiko Okawara currently holds the title of CEO of JC Comsa Corporation. As an expert in consumer markets, Ms. Okawara has held senior positions at numerous food and consumer product companies, including CEO of eBay Japan. In the late 1960s, Ms. Okawara took a gamble in betting on Japanese consumers’ willingness to experiment with Western-style food products. Under her leadership, JC Comsa has become the nation's top producer of frozen and chilled ethnic foods. Additionally, she has won numerous awards including Woman Entrepreneur of the Year awards from the New Business Conference, Nikkan Kogyo New Paper, and Veuve Clicquot (France).
Tomoko Namba, CEO, DeNA
Tomoko Namba is a Japanese entrepreneur and CEO of DeNA. Ms. Namba founded DeNA in 1999 and has led it to become one of the largest mobile social network and mobile game companies in Japan. Previously, at McKinsey and Co., she had become only the third Japanese woman in the company's history to be made a partner. Under Namba's leadership, DeNA is committed to the delivery of outstanding service while also striving to instill environmental awareness in its rapidly expanding consumer base. She has also been involved in a number of national government efforts, such as the Prime Ministers' Council for the Promotion of Regulatory Reform.
Irene Natividad, President, Global Summit of Women
Irene Natividad is President of the Global Summit of Women, an 18-year old annual gathering of women leaders in business and government who come together to share strategies for increasing women’s economic empowerment globally. Ms. Natividad also serves as Co-Chair of Corporate Women Directors International, which conducts research and brings together women corporate directors from around the world on issues of corporate governance. In 2004, she was selected by Women’s eNews as one of the “21 Leaders for the 21st Century.” She was named in 1997 as one of “25 Most Influential Working Mothers” by Working Mother Magazine, and was also named in 1988 as one of the “100 Most Powerful Women in America” by Ladies Home Journal.