Dr. Naoyuki Yoshino is a Professor Emeritus at Keio University, Japan. From 2014 to 2020, he was Dean and CEO of the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI). He obtained his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University (United States) where his thesis supervisor was Sir Alan Walters, economic adviser to former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

He has been an assistant professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo (1979-1981), an associate Professor at GRIPS (National Graduate Research Institute for Policy Studies, 1982-1990), and an economics professor at Keio University (1991-2014). He was the President of Foreign Exchange Council, Ministry of Finance of Japan, President of Financial System Council of Government of Japan, Policy Board Member of the Deposit Insurance Corporation of Japan, Chairperson of Japanese Government Bond Market Council.

He was awarded honorary doctorates from the University of Gothenburg (Sweden) in 2004, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg (Germany) in 2013 and received the Fukuzawa Award in 2013 for his contribution to research on economic policy. He received the International Green Finance Lifetime Achievement Scientific Award from the Central Bank of Hungary which was held at the Planet Budapest 2021 Sustainability EXPO Summit.

He is a member of the Economic Advisory Group (EAG) of the Republic of Palau in 2022-2026. Advisory Board (Chair) Stockholm School of Economics, EIJS, (Sweden) in 2024- 2026.

Mr. Takehiko Nakao is currently an Adviser at Sumitomo Corporation and Chairman of the Center for International Economy and Strategy.

He also serves as an external Executive Board Member at Daiichi Life Insurance Company, Ltd.

Concurrently, he teaches as a Visiting Professor at both the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) and the Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Tokyo.

He is a member of the Trilateral Commission, the Board of Governors of the Asian Institute of Management (Manila), the Japan Corporate Governance Network, and several other international and Japanese non-profit organizations.

Prior to assuming his current roles on August 1, 2024, Mr. Nakao was Chairman of the Institute at Mizuho Research & Technologies, Ltd. From April 2013 to January 2020, he served as President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), headquartered in Manila, representing 69 member countries, including 46 developing countries from the region.

From 2011 to 2013, Mr. Nakao served as Vice Minister of Finance for International Affairs, overseeing foreign exchange markets, the G20 and G7 processes, ASEAN+3 financial cooperation, and bilateral financial relations with the United States, Asian countries, and others.

Since joining Japan’s Ministry of Finance in 1978, Mr. Nakao has built extensive expertise in international finance, budgeting, tax policy, and financial markets. He served as Minister at the Embassy of Japan in Washington, D.C. from 2005 to 2007, and as Advisor at the IMF’s Policy Development and Review Department from 1994 to 1997.

He has authored several books and numerous papers on financial and economic issues in both Japanese and English.

His memoir, The Rise of Asia: Perspectives and Beyond, covering his time at ADB and as Vice Minister, was published by ADB in July 2022 (available on the ADB website). He also initiated and served as lead editor of Asia’s Journey to Prosperity: Policy, Market, and Technology over 50 Years, published by ADB in January 2020 (also available on the ADB website).

Mr. Nakao holds a BA in Economics from the University of Tokyo (1978) and an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley (1982).

Has served for 22 years as President and Representative Director of Prada Japan and South East Asian markets and as Executive Board Member in many Prada Group operational and holding companies.

During his stay with the Group he managed several brands, of which Prada, Miu Miu, Church's, Jil Sander, Helmut Lang as well as in the cosmetic industry when serving as the CEO and Representative Director of Cosmetics and Eyewear International Distribution Japan.
Additionally, a book author and guest speaker and participant in seminars and other events on the luxury market and consumer behavior.

Previous to join Prada Group, he served as Board Member and CFO of Benetton Group Japan and Managing Director of Benetton Korea.

A 33 years Japan resident, he holds two honors from the Italian Republic, Knight and Officer.

Dr. Rodrigo González is a respected corporate advisor to some of Japan’s most prominent business leaders. He specialises in briefing corporate boards on economic and geopolitical conditions within the APAC region, offering invaluable insights into their potential impact across industries.

With over a decade of experience residing and working in Japan, Rodrigo collaborates closely with C-suite executives of multinational firms, facilitating their comprehension of intricate market dynamics and the implications of public and economic policy. Beyond the boardroom, Rodrigo is a seasoned presenter, recognised for delivering impactful speeches and insights at numerous corporate engagements and on televised platforms.

He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Keio University and is fluent in Spanish, English, French, and Japanese.