Sakie T. Fukushima has studied at Harvard University and received her MBA from Stanford University. She is Senior Client Partner and Regional Managing Director of Japan in Korn/Ferry International which is the biggest consulting firm for executives. Prior to joining Korn/ Ferry, Ms. Fukushima was a Consultant at Bain & Company, first in the Boston headquarters and later in the Tokyo office.

As well as her duties at Korn / Ferry Japan, she is a member of the board of directors of Kao Cosmetics and Sony Corporation and a member of the Japan Association of Corporate Executives (Keizai Doyukai), Her writings have appeared in various Japanese and English-language publications, and she frequently speaks at seminars, conferences and on television discussion programs.

Emiko Miki has been the president of two Japanese entertainment / multimedia companies. First, Broadway Pacific Entertainment in New York, which brings Broadway Musical tours to Japan and does TV licensing. Second, Future Pirates, in Los Angeles, was the first break out Multimedia Company in Japan, to do CD-ROM Games, TV production, and Character Licensing.

After selling her shares, she started Nighttribe a CG animation studio, which worked on various movies, TV shows, and other entertainment outlets. Most recently, Ms. Miki founded Universal Planner Inc. after her return to Tokyo, invented Chibi Vision, a patented backpack as the marketing and personal expression tool of 21st Century.

Sachiko Okuda, Ph.D. is Senior Advisor of FCG Research Institute Inc. in Japan, which occupies a unique place as both an independent research organization and a member of Japan's largest media group (Fujisankei Communications Group).

She graduated from the Physical Chemistry Department of Ochanomizu Women's University (Japan), and received her MSc degree in physical chemistry from U.C. San Diego (USA) and PhD degree from the University of Southampton (UK) for researches on angular distribution of photo-dissociation products, and infrared emission from molecular reactions.

She has held important positions in organizations such as the Director (Interim Board Member) of INWES (International Network of Women Engineers and Scientists), President of INWES Japan and Vice President of the Japanese Academy of Facial Studies.

Bob Pickard applies his two decades of public affairs and PR experience to the task of building and serving the firm's expanding community of clients in Japan and Korea. In these countries, Edelman has grown by 670% during the past four years and today it is the leading global PR consultancy in North Asia.

A founder and Representative Director of Edelman Japan, before Bob was Managing Director of Edelman Korea, which was named Edelman's international 'Office of the Year' in 2004 & 2005 and was also recognized as 'Consultancy of the Year' at PR WEEK's 2004 Asia-Pacific PR Awards.

A Toronto native and current resident of Tokyo, Bob has traveled to 39 nations (including all 50 U.S. states). He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Studies from Queen's University and is a frequent conference speaker and media commentator.

Kumi Sato is the President of Cosmo Public Relations in Tokyo, one of Japan's leading PR companies. Over the past 20 years, since becoming president of the company, she has helped more than 300 foreign companies gain access, achieve visibility and develop key strategic relationships in the Japanese market. Sato is a frequent writer, lecturer and commentator on television regarding the changing nature of corporate marketing and public relations in Japan.

Kumi Sato was named one of the "100 Global Leaders of Tomorrow" by the World Economic Forum in 1998, one of the "50 Leading Women Entrepreneurs of Japan" by Forbes in 1999, and one of the "Stars of Asia" by Business Week in 2002. In addition, Cosmo Public Relations was named "Consultancy of the Year" by PR Week in 2002.