Japan – UK Symposium Celebrating the 150 years of Iwakura mission in London

SPEAKER DETAILS:

Alderman Prof. Michael Mainelli, former Sheriff, City of London Corporation

Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli is Honorary Life Fellow of Gresham College and Emeritus Mercers’ School Memorial Professor of Commerce at Gresham College having held the chair from 2005 to 2009. Michael was elected and served as a Sheriff of the City of London for a unique two-year term 2019–2021. He is a qualified accountant securities professional computer specialist and management consultant educated at Harvard University and Trinity College Dublin. He gained his PhD in chaotic systems at the London School of Economics where he was also Visiting Professor of Innovation & IT.  Originally a research scientist in aerospace (rocket science) and computing (architecture & cartography) after directing mapping projects in Switzerland he became a senior partner with accountants BDO Binder Hamlyn directing global consulting and Corporate Development Director for Europe’s largest R&D firm then the Ministry of Defence’s 14000 strong Defence Evaluation & Research Agency. He founded Z/Yen in 1994 the City of London’s leading think-tank promoting societal advance through better finance and technology renowned for its Global Financial Green Finance and Smart Centres indices. Michael is Executive Chairman of Z/Yen Group FS Club and the Esop Centre Senior Independent Director of the United Kingdom Accreditation Service and AIM-listed Wishbone Gold plc.

Andrew Fraser, C.M.G.

Since October 2020, Andrew Fraser has been Senior Adviser to Mitsubishi Corporation London Branch.  For six years, July 1994 – September 2000, Andrew served as Chief Executive of Invest UK – the sole Government body marketing the whole of the UK to international investors – during which time the stock of UK inward investment more than doubled. Prior to that, he enjoyed an extensive career in international advertising as Director of Business Development for Saatchi and Saatchi Worldwide and CEO of the Dentsu network in Europe.  His pro bono commitments have included serving as a Trustee for Shakespeare’s Globe and for the Club of Three, the Board of Think London, the Council of Chatham House (Royal Institute of International Affairs) and the Board of the Japan Society (UK) and the Board of the UK-Japan 21st Century Group.

Ambassador Hajime Hayashi, Embassy of Japan in the UK

Hajime Hayashi is the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Prior to the current roles, he was Assistant Chief Cabinet Secretary and Deputy Secretary-General of National Security Secretariat, Cabinet Secretariat.  He has significant experience in Europe, where he has held distinguished role as Ambassador to Kingdom of Belgium, and Chief of Mission to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Japan in India, Minister of Economic Affairs, Embassy of Japan in the United States of America and several cabinet responsibilities within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Japan.

Doug Wills, Editor Emeritus, Evening Standards, The Independent

Doug Wills is Editor Emeritus of the London Evening Standard and The Independent. His role involves working closely with all editorial executives and dealing daily with circulation advertising and production directors co-ordinating the complex operation of producing daily newspapers and their editorial digital channels.

Dr Kathryn Walsh, Executive Director, University of London, Innovation & Enterprise

Kathryn heads up teams developing and implementing UCL institutional policies for innovation and enterprise and allocating funding for innovation and enterprise projects. In her role she leads Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) and Concordat (KEC), institutional strategy for innovation and enterprise, innovation and enterprise policy matters at the University of London, Kathryn’s previous role was Director of the Enterprise Office at Loughborough University. Before that she had an industrial research career in Sharp and BP. She has a BSc and PhD in Physics from King’s College London.

Dr. Mike Short, Chief Scientific Advisor, Department of Trade, GOV.UK

Mike Short is the DIT Chief Scientific Advisor. Mike leads the science and engineering profession in the department and ensures its policy is informed by the best science engineering and technical advice. He advises DIT on the technical aspects of international trade deals supports inward investment and engineering collaboration and works with the UK’s research innovation and academic communities to boost scientific and engineering exports. Prior to joining DIT, he served as Vice President of Telefonica the parent company of the O2 mobile phone network. In this post he managed the launch of 2G (GSM) and 3G mobile technologies in the UK established an office in Brussels and went on to lead international research innovation and standards for Telefonica Europe. His career includes the promotion of international technical standards in mobile and digital technology. He is a former chairman of the GSM Association the UK Mobile Data Association and was president of the Institution of Engineering and Technology in 2011 to 2012. He is a visiting professor at the universities of Surrey Coventry Leeds and Salford. He has led development and collaborations in areas such as smart cities digital healthcare cybersecurity and driverless vehicles. He was honoured with a CBE in 2012 for his services to the mobile industry.

Emma Wegoda, Head of Asia Pacific, City of London Corporation

Emma is a highly experienced in government affairs investor relations and an extensively accomplished project and financial manager event director public relations manager and strategist with over 20 years’ experience in the detailed operation of UK Parliament and in Government departments. She has worked with large corporations supporting their expansion into the UK and has extensive experience in investor relations and has vast experience in all aspects of ministerial business dealing with No. 10 Downing Street and working with senior elected and civil service officials. She currently leads new promotional investment management campaign for the Corporation – “Global Investment Futures” which supports the Investment Management sector and with the long-term goal of doubling AuM by 2030.

Former Ambassador Kunisada Kume

Ambassador Kunisada Kume graduated from the University of Tokyo in 1961 and entered the Foreign Ministry of Japan. Before retiring from the foreign ministry in 2001, he served as Ambassador to the then-Federal Republic of Germany. Before it, he was an Ambassador to the Republic of Hungry and has served in various capacities as Director-General of the Consular & Migration Affairs Bureau, Inspector General, and then Chief of Protocol at the Foreign Ministry. In 1992 he was the Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the International Organizations in Vienna. His early career within the Foreign Ministry includes working as Consult-General to West Berlin and serving in Switzerland, South Africa, the USA, Denmark and the USSR. He is also the Past-President of the Japan-German Center in Berlin, Japan-Austria Society and the Chairman of the Executive Board and International Commissioner of the Scout Association of Japan. Kunisada Kume is currently the Director of the Kume Museum of Art, founded in 1982, a place related to the historian Kunitake Kume and his eldest son, Western-style painter Keiichi Kume.

Jonathan Geldart, Director General, Institute of Directors

Jonathan has a long-standing connection with the IoD and was appointed Director General in October 2019.

Jonathan spent 30 years working in the professional services sector, most recently at Grant Thornton International, where he was responsible for the organisation’s interest in China. He is the author of three books about China and is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. Jonathan is a fellow of the IoD, and prior to his appointment as director general, he was chair of IoD Yorkshire and North East region. Jonathan studied Geography and Archaeology at the University of St Andrews specialising in underwater archaeology. Outside of work his interests include hill walking and fell running.

Lord Trenchard (Hugh), Vice Chair British/Japanese All Party Parliamentary Group

Lord Trenchard is Vice-Chairman of the British-Japanese Parliamentary Group and one of the UK’s most experienced and knowledgeable experts on Japanese economics culture and politics. Hugh Trenchard began his career at Kleinwort Benson in 1973 and has more than 40 years’ experience in investment banking including 35 years of involvement with Japan 12 of them as a resident. He ran Kleinwort Benson’s Japanese operations for 11 years and was subsequently Head of Japanese Investment Banking with Robert Fleming & Co. Limited before working with Mizuho International plc. In addition, he also served as a Senior Adviser for Japan and Korea to Prudential Financial Inc. He has contributed to the bilateral relations in his numerous capacities including Director of Japan Securities Dealers Association Vice-chair of the European Business Community in Japan Joint Chairman of Japan Society Managing Director of Mizuho International Limited among others.

Martin Barrow, GBS, OBE, Order of Rising Sun, Director, Matheson & Co. Ltd., and Visit Japan Ambassador

Martin returning to the UK he joined Jardine Matheson, founded in 1832 in China and was established in Japan in 1859 whe it was known as “ei ichi bankan”, the first British House and has been in Japan ever since. It played an active role in the early days of Japan-UK relations when the Choshu 5 were brought secretly on a Jardines’ ship to study in the UK in 1863). He is a former Chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan, and has received an OBE for his services in promoting UK-Japan links. He also received a CBE from HRH Prince Charles on the day of the Hong Kong handover in 1997, for his services as a member of the Hong Kong Legislature and Chairman of Hong Kong Tourism. He continued to be active in UK-Japan relations, being Vice -Chairman of the Japan Society for a time and from 2008 was appointed by the Japanese Government as an Ambassador for Japan Tourism, helping promote Japan all over the world. He received the Emperor’s award The Order of The Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon in 2014. In 2010, he was appointed Chairman of Tankokai UK, part of the Urasenke tea ceremony group in Kyoto. He continues to be active in promoting UK-Japan links in tourism, education, and trade/investment and is a member of the UK-Japan 21st Century Group and the Japan Society’s Business Committee.

Nick Cheesman

Nick is the CIO for NTT Ltd. and is responsible to lead the IT teams beyond internal focus and IT cost optimisation to strategic business services and outcomes. Ultimately, digitally enabling and fundamentally help transform the business. Nick has extensive international leadership experience in defining and shaping digital IT strategies, developing high performing teams together a wide range of enterprise industry partnerships and start-up community relationships.

Paul Madden, former Ambassador to Japan

Paul Madden became British Ambassador to Japan in January 2017. He was previously British High Commissioner to Australia and British High Commissioner to Singapore. He was Additional Director for Asia Pacific at the FCO in 2015. A career diplomat he was Managing Director at UK Trade and Investment (2004-2006) responsible for coordinating and implementing international trade development strategies to support companies across a wide range of business sectors. He has held various roles with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Prior to joining the FCO he worked at the Department of Trade and Industry (on a range of industrial sectors and trade policy and was head of the Japan team. He has an MA in Economic Geography from Cambridge University an MBA from Durham University studied Japanese at London University’s School of Oriental and African Studies and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. His book Raffles: Lessons in Business Leadership was published in 2003 and his first play was performed in Sydney in 2015. He first visited Japan on a study tour in 1982 after winning an essay contest organised by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Rajesh Agrawal, Deputy Mayor of London for Business

Rajesh Agrawal is the Deputy Mayor of London for Business. Born in India Rajesh moved to London in 2001. As an entrepreneur he founded RationalFX in 2005 and Xendpay in 2014 both companies utilising technology to reduce the cost of international money transfer for businesses and individuals. Rajesh is passionate about promoting entrepreneurship and creating opportunities for young people. He was appointed Chair of Oxfam’s Enterprise Development Programme in 2015 and has been a Patron of the Prince’s Trust for many years.As Deputy Mayor Rajesh aims to be a strong voice for London’s business community protecting jobs and growth and ensuring that the capital remains the most open and attractive place to do business in the world.

Rie Hamaguchi, former Foreign Service Officer and Diplomat, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Gov of Japan

Rie Hamaguchi has years of experience in the diplomatic world started as an International Press officer of Japanese Government, then as diplomat at Washington D.C., bilateral diplomatic relations in Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia division of Foreign Ministry Headquarter in Tokyo in Japan, Vienna in Austria & Moscow in Russia and London in the UK and organised G8 Summit in Europe. Now Rie currently works as a business consultant as well as representative of Global Financial Institutions, Pension Funds, Insurance Funds, Debt Funds and several family offices.

Ross Hyett, Oxford Investment Consultants LLP

Ross is a Founder of OIC and a Senior Partner of Windsor Private Office heading a team that specialises in the provision of bespoke wealth management and financial planning services to high-net-worth individuals and Family Offices. Ross is a serial entrepreneur and has established a number of businesses in a variety of market sectors and successfully raised finance to ensure their success and continued growth. This has included several which have qualified under HMRC’s Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) rules to allow investors favourable tax treatment of their investment. Ross was also an executive director of the British Racing Drivers’ Club which owns Silverstone race circuit home of the Formula 1 British Grand Prix. Having retired “from motor racing” more times than Frank Sinatra most summer weekends again find Ross hurtling around European and UK race tracks.

Rt Hon Nigel Huddleston MP, Minister of State for International Trade

Nigel Huddleston was appointed Minister of State at the Department for Business and Trade on 7 February 2023.He was previously Government Whip (Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury) from 20 September 2022 to 7 February 2023 Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for International Trade from 30 October 2022 to 7 February 2023 and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Digital Culture Media and Sport from 14 February 2020 to September 2022.

The Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP

Anne-Marie Trevelyan was appointed as a Minister of State in the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office on 26 October 2022.Anne-Marie was previously Secretary of State for Transport between 6 September 2022 and 25 October 2022. She was Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade from 15 September 2021 to 6 September 2022.Previously Anne-Marie was the UK International Champion on Adaptation and Resilience for the COP26 Presidency between 7 November 2020 and 6 September 2022. She was Minister of State (Minister for Energy, Clean Growth and Climate Change) at the Department of Business Energy and Industrial Strategy from January 2021 to September 2021.She was the Secretary of State for International Development from February to September 2020. She was Minister of State for the Armed Forces from 17 December 2019 to 13 February 2020 and Minister for Defence Procurement from 27 July 2019 to 16 December 2019.Anne-Marie was first elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for the Berwick-upon-Tweed constituency at the 2015 general election.A chartered accountant by trade Anne-Marie sat on the House of Commons’ Public Accounts Committee from July 2015 to May 2017 and December 2018 to July 2019. She has previously served as the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Defence. As an MP she has campaigned with colleagues for greater autism awareness and has focused on the Armed Forces Covenant.Her wider interests involve spending time with her family making the most of the incredible landscape her vast and varied constituency affords and putting her passion for singing to good use by taking part in Singing for Syrians concerts in Westminster.

The Rt Hon Greg Clark MP, Trade Envoy to Japan

Greg Clark MP is the Trade Envoy to Japan to reinforce the strong UK-Japan trading relationship. Clark has held positions in HM Treasury and then the Department for Business Innovation and Skills where he served as Secretary of State. Greg was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Tunbridge Wells in 2005. During the Coalition Government he was appointed Minister for Cities in 2011 and later held positions including Financial Secretary to the Treasury Minister of State at the Cabinet Office and Minister for Universities and Science. Greg became a member of the Cabinet when he served as Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government from 2015 until 2016 and then a Secretary of State for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy from 2016 to 2019. He returned to Cabinet on a temporary basis as Secretary of State for Levelling Up Housing and Communities during 2022. As a backbencher he chaired the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee during the peak of the COVID crisis between 2020 and 2022. Born in Middlesbrough Greg was educated at Cambridge University and awarded his PhD at the London School of Economics. Prior to his election in 2005 Greg was a business consultant with Boston Consulting Group before becoming Special Advisor to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. He later joined the BBC as its Controller of Commercial Policy and was subsequently Director of Policy for the Conservative Party.

Yuuichiro Nakajima, Chair, Japan H.L. Limited, and Managing Director, Crimson Phoenix Limited

Yuuichiro Nakajima first came to the UK as a four-year old boy when his father was posted to his Japanese company’s London office. Yuuichiro started his career with the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund in Tokyo. In 1985 he enrolled in the MBA course at the London Business School as a British Council scholar and in 1987 joined S.G.Warburg’s corporate finance department in London. Yuuichiro established his own advisory boutique Crimson Phoenix in Tokyo in 2003 to advise corporate clients on cross-border M&A and corporate finance transactions involving Japanese companies. Crimson Phoenix opened its London office in 2012 where Yuuichiro is now based. Yuuichiro was an active member of the Japan-British Society when he lived in Tokyo serving as a board member and chairing its Younger Members’ Group and later Centenary Awards Committee. He joined the Japan Society in 1985 and was soon thereafter elected to its Council later serving on the Centenary Review Committee which sought to modernise the Society’s constitution and the Awards Committee. Yuuichiro is a member of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan and a Council Member/Director of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the U.K. He is a non-executive director of J.P.Morgan Japan Smaller Companies Trust plc and Chair of Japan H.L. Limited which operates the Japan House London. In addition, he is a member of the Audit and Compliance Committee of FIFA a Finance Committee member at the Asian Football Confederation and on the Advisory Board of the Japan Football Association.