Witnessing what happens in the intersection of work, culture, and identities, Akiko launched The Mega Center in 2017 with one purpose: to create safer spaces for people to reexamine who they are as leaders, and for organizations to unlock their blind spots in developing their leaders.

Akiko’s experience managing and consulting global companies through culture change following M&A, leading joint ventures and entry into new markets in Japan, she is well positioned to understand perspectives of stakeholders who straddle borders and often have conflicts in approach.

Many of the leadership challenges she has witnessed preceded strategy or executive recruitment- she continues to see opportunities for people to lead more effectively where they are, and for organizations to create bigger leaps toward sustained success.  

Akiko was born in Japan, raised in Texas, grew into adulthood in New York, and started her career in Tokyo and Paris.

Akiko lives on a mountain in Hokkaido, where she lives with her teenage daughter. She works with clients in the US, Asia, and Europe. You can learn more about Akiko as a whole person here.