Principal
Saya Akiba
She has been engaged in a wide range of roles spanning from investment management to international fundraising, including commodity research at the World Bank, transfer pricing advisory at Deloitte, IPO support at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), and consulting for alternative investments and hedge funds. Most recently, she was responsible for marketing and international fundraising for a Japanese hedge fund and for Japan Industrial Partners, before joining REVA.Despite having experienced challenging times in life, she finds daily gratitude and joy in being able to work with a variety of people in a positive and collaborative way.
A passionate animal lover, she dreams of one day opening a shelter in Malaysia for both stray dogs and people in need.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University.
Director
Toru Abe
After gaining experience in branch office, corporate sales and PE fund planning at a megabank, he was seconded to a trading company PE fund where he was involved in buyouts. He then joined a financial institution PE fund. He has experience in multiple investment projects such as business succession and capital restructuring in the manufacturing, construction, IT and service industries. As an investment professional and professional coach, he strives every day to realize the full potential of people and organizations.
His hobbies are wide-ranging and shallow, and he is prone to fickleness (much to his family’s teasing). His ongoing interests include child-rearing, gourmet food, traveling, strength training, saunas and reading.
Managing Director
Keisuke Arai
After working in business planning at a major auto parts manufacturer, he gained a wide range of experience from M&A advisory to PMI at KPMG FAS. After that, he joined a financial institution PE fund and was involved in multiple business succession and carve-out projects, mainly BtoB, from sourcing to exit. His motto is to provide hands-on value-up support that is close to the client and has experience in implementing many roll-ups and bolt-ons.
His hobby is fixed-gear bikes, but he is still troubled by the fact that he cannot change the tires himself.
Principal
Fumie Iyama
After graduating from Waseda University, she joined Kyoto University as a staff member, where she was in charge of accounting procedures and budget planning. After leaving the company, she studied at University of Washington in the United States and obtained her Japanese CPA qualification. At Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu LLC, she experienced accounting audits for electronics-related companies, hospitals, universities, research institutes, etc. She is skilled in automating business efficiency using Python, SQL, Excel, Power Query, etc.
Her recent interest is self-analysis using ChatGPT. She is a mother of three who struggles to balance work and childcare.
Principal
Masataka Usami
After achieving the world fastest race car development at Honda R&D, he led over 200 engineers as the head of control‐system development for Honda’s global strategic vehicles, successfully bringing them into mass production. He then joined European development firms for F1, MotoGP (Moto2 and Moto3), and the Dakar Rally, and later participated as an engineering turnaround team member in Sumitomo Corporation’s project to divest its European subsidiary. Following the business integration, he served as an Engineering Fellow, addressing management challenges in the development and quality divisions and delivering the world’s first fully automated EV motor lamination system. Drawing on comprehensive skills honed through OEM/ESP/supplier roles as well as racing and mass‐production environments, he tackles complex organizational issues.
In his private life, he also participates in international races across North America and Europe.
Vise President
Oh Okochi
After graduating, he joined Marubeni Corporation and engaged in legal work on M&A, reorganization, and trade contracts for businesses in a variety of industries, including transportation machinery, industrial and construction machinery, energy, metals, and finance. After that, he experienced M&A projects such as business due diligence, factory automation, and cross-border PMI at Accenture Strategy Group M&A Practice.
His hobbies are mountain climbing, and his favorite is Kurofu-yama in Nagano. He graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Tokyo.
Managing Director
Takahiro Ota
Joined Accenture as a new graduate. After working on projects such as supply chain efficiency and cost reduction, mainly in the manufacturing industry, he moved to P&G where he was involved in formulating marketing strategies based on consumers, markets and competitors. After that, he rejoined Accenture’s Strategy Group and became a Principal Director of the M&A practice before assuming his current position. He has a wealth of experience in supporting business due diligence in various industries and PMI for large-scale cross-border M&A.
His hobby is saunas. He is from Ibaraki Prefecture.
Principal
Nobuko Ohira
She began her career at Sumitomo Corporation, working in the Chemical Plant Division with a focus on China. She then joined a machine tool components manufacturer, where she handled sales to industrial machinery makers and led projects such as dissolving a joint venture in China and establishing a wholly owned subsidiary. Later, she worked at a medical staffing company on overseas talent acquisition, and moved into HR and talent development at an industrial machinery firm.
While raising two children, she has valued the diverse experiences and personal connections she’s made—especially as one of the few women traveling abroad for work at the time. These experiences continue to inspire her to take on new challenges.
Expert
Shogo Kashikura
He joined Sumitomo Corporation, where he worked in IT strategy and planning, including the renewal of core systems and the launch of IT organizations for domestic and overseas group companies. He later moved to a sales division, where he led cost optimization efforts through digitalization, such as streamlining operations and downsizing trade systems. He also worked on DX-driven business planning, including the development of new business ideas for group companies. He has experience working in Singapore, and served as the chair of the company’s labor union, where he led wage negotiations and proposed HR strategies.
A tennis enthusiast, he has played in corporate leagues and local tournaments. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Bioscience and Biotechnology and a master’s degree in Industrial Engineering and Management from Tokyo Institute of Technology.
Senior Associate
Taiga Kato
He began his career at Try Group Inc. as a new graduate, where he was engaged in new business development, AI product development, and graduate recruitment.
During his university years, he dedicated himself to American football, reaching a peak weight of 103.5 kg. His hobbies include cooking, skiing, and golf. He also has a strong interest in the latest gadgets and often finds himself investing in new technology. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Tokyo and a master’s degree from the Graduate School of Engineering at the same university.
Co-representative Partner
Takanobu Kawai
After working at a major electronics manufacturer and PwC, he was put in charge of strategic acquisitions for IBM Japan’s services business. He then joined Japan Industrial Partners, where he was involved in multiple carve-out transactions in the manufacturing sector. Following this, he served as a Managing Director in the M&A Practice of Accenture Strategy. Over the course of more than 20 years in professional services, he has led numerous M&A and value creation initiatives across a wide range of industries.
He is deeply passionate about offshore fishing and motorcycling. A native of Osaka, born and raised.
Principal
Yu Shindo
After working for a major pharmaceutical company and a CRO, she joined Deloitte Tohmatsu Financial Advisory, where she mainly worked on M&A advisory in the healthcare field. After that, she joined a Japanese fund in Singapore and worked in middle office operations.
Her hobbies are traveling and cooking. She is from Kansai and is currently exploring how to balance work and child-rearing.
Senior Principal
Junya Sumita
After graduating from the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies at Keio University, he worked in marketing, M&A, and business revitalization at leading global companies, including Coca-Cola Japan and Deloitte Tohmatsu Consulting. He then worked on new business development, mainly for venture companies, and as CFO/CHRO/CSO at listed companies. Most recently, he has been in charge of the sales department as a manager at a SaaS startup, while promoting evangelist activities to popularize inside sales.
His hobbies are roasting coffee and creating spicy curry. He is the co-author of “Introduction to M&A for Bankers” (Ginko Kenkyusha).
Senior Principal
Kazuo Tajima
After working on-site at GE Capital, he learned Six Sigma and promoted many business improvement projects. He then served as an executive at a startup company, where he was in charge of launching new businesses and restructuring operations, and experienced two companies going public. He also experienced PMI and business revitalization in corporate integration through M&A. Most recently, he has been involved in promoting digital transformation at a major home improvement store, working on digitalization at the retail industry frontline.
On his days off, he refreshes himself by walking his rescue Pomeranian. He also actually likes cats.
Senior Associate
Kyosuke Tomoda
He worked in trading, business development and investment-related work in the automotive industry at Itochu Corporation. He has experience investing in and increasing the value of startups, as well as launching new businesses.
His hobbies are manga, shogi and eating. He goes out with his children on his days off. Having recently moved, he is busy looking for stylish interior and miscellaneous goods. He completed his graduate studies at the Graduate School of Engineering at Nagoya University and has an MBA from HEC Paris.
Principal
Shuichi Nakajima
At Accenture, he improved the business process and service quality of clients. At Daimler AG (Singapore office, German headquarters), he performed internal audits and improved sales operations. After returning to Japan, he worked for a Japanese automobile manufacturer, managing and controlling overseas sales companies.
Although he has worked in a serious field, such as internal control and compliance, he has a relaxed private life, enjoying horse racing, mahjong, and the entertainment industry (movies and idols).
Principal
Tadashi Nakanishi
After joining a major system construction manufacturer, he worked in production management and procurement, before being involved in launching quality systems and core systems. He then learned flexible production management based on the Toyota Production System, and promoted business process reforms across the entire supply chain. He then moved to the Panasonic Group, where he provided guidance to many business sites, both domestically and internationally, in relation to products, and achieved drastic business process reforms.
His hobby is soccer (he is a member of a senior soccer team), and he continues to play despite suffering from Achilles tendonitis for a long time.
Managing Director
Kazuhide Nishida
He worked at Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Limited for about 30 years, and experienced in a wide range of work, including LBO loan, Corporate Advisory, Distressed Investment, Investment Management coverage for Institutional Investors. He was seconded to a PE fund and engaged in buyout investments. In addition, he was responsible for general business management at branches, including internal management, compliance, and human resources, and was proactively involved in hands-on activities such as public relations strategies using local media and SDGs-related initiatives.
His hobby is watching baseball. He is from Nara Prefecture.
Co-representative Partner
Kengo Nishinaka
At Sumitomo Corporation, he was responsible for investments and value creation initiatives for 400 companies in Japan and overseas, across various industries, managing assets totaling over 6 trillion yen. He has also been involved in numerous business management projects in Europe and the United States, and has built a strong global network. He has led many value creation projects utilizing Lean Six Sigma and digital transformation (DX) solutions as his standardized approach.
He completed the Harvard Advanced Management Program (AMP) and is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.
Partner
Futoshi Yasueda
Involved in many large corporate carve-out projects at Japan Industrial Partners. Served as a director and auditor at a listed electronic parts manufacturer and an electrical construction product wholesaler. Previously worked at KPMG FAS as an advisor on growth investment and turnaround investment.
A Kyushu man who dreams of completing a full marathon. Interested in open innovation that utilizes technology from university-based ventures. He holds a master’s degree from Georgetown University.
Expert
Chris Lin
After earning his master’s degree from UC San Diego, he worked at a major U.S.-based IoT vendor, where he was responsible for business development and partner management across Asia, with a focus on Japan. He then joined a tech-focused M&A advisory firm, engaging in cross-border M&A transactions. Following that, he worked at an incubator under the National University of Singapore, where he provided hands-on support for the creation and global expansion of Deep Tech startups.
Born in Nanjing, China, he has lived in Tokyo for over ten years. He holds a bachelor’s degree in law from Waseda University and an MBA from Nanyang Business School. An all-around sports enthusiast, he is currently enjoying snowboarding with his child.