JAPAN SEARCH FUND CONFERENCE 2026

CEO, Japan Search Fund Accelerator 

After being involved in making of management strategies, etc. in Boston Consulting Group GK, received her MBA from Graduate School of Business, Stanford University. After returning to Japan, established Japan Search Fund Accelerator (JaSFA) and became CEO. Starting with organizing Japan’s first search fund conference and operating YMFG Fund, jointly founded Japan Search Fund Platform (JSFP) with Nomura Group and has managed it currently. At GENDA, she serves as ad-hoc member of Small and Medium Enterprise Policy Making Council and outside director of investment locations. Held her current position at GENDA since April 2024.

 IMD Country Director (Japan)

Ryu Miyabayashi is an expert in global strategy, leadership development, and organizational transformation. Currently serving as Country Director at IMD (Switzerland), he supports executive teams and boards across Asia in areas such as strategic renewal, CEO succession, and governance enhancement. He also teaches global management and strategy as an Adjunct Professor at Shizenkan University, bridging academic insight with real-world leadership challenges. His original research—Entrepreneurial Leadership Transition (ELT)—analyzes how first-time CEOs grow through identity shifts and high-stakes decision-making, especially in the context of search funds and founder succession. This work contributes to board-level discussions on leadership development and human capital strategy. He previously held senior roles at Dentsu (strategic marketing) and JAFCO (venture capital), and later founded a leadership development firm. He has invested in and supported companies across Japan, the US, Europe, and Israel, including IPO and M&A successes. He holds a DBA in cross-cultural management from Hitotsubashi University, an MBA from IESE Business School, and a BA from Keio University. He is also a certified coach (ICF PCC, CPCC) and Leadership Circle Practitioner (LCP). 

Co-Founder, Director, Inclusion Japan

Born in 1976, he earned a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Graduate School of Engineering at The University of Tokyo. After beginning his career at Procter & Gamble and later working at a consulting firm, he joined the founding team of Lifenet Insurance Company (then Net Life Planning), where he was primarily responsible for marketing and the development of new businesses in collaboration with major shareholders.

Following the company’s IPO, he founded Inclusion Japan. Since then, he has supported startups in marketing and business development from their earliest stages of growth. At the same time, he has worked closely with large corporations to create new businesses through partnerships with startups, while helping accelerate the growth of emerging ventures.

Managing Partner, Lighthaven

Tycen Bundgaard is a long-time investor and operator focused on the SMEs and Search Fund ecosystem in Asia. After 14 years as a Partner at McKinsey & Company, Singapore, advising investors across the region, he became convinced that Search Funds offered a compelling solution to Asia’s growing succession challenges among founder-led SMEs. He later served as CEO of Les Amis Group, gaining firsthand operating experience in local leadership and SME management. Today, Tycen leads Lighthaven, the first fund of search fund focusing on investing search fund in Asia, leveraging experience from Merrill Lynch M&A, McKinsey’s PE Practice, and Les Amis Group to support the next generation of Search Fund entrepreneurs across Asia.

Investor, RHS & Partners

Scott is currently an investor at RHS & Partners, a fund primarily that invests in searchers in developed Asia, Oceania and Europe. Scott started the first ETA in Singapore and bought Singapore's largest washroom hygiene services and products provider, Rental Hygiene Services. He went on to run it for a few years and eventually sold it to a strategic buyer.

Founder and CEO, Akiyama Capital

Born in 1998, Shinemon graduated from the University of Warwick in 2020 with a degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE).

Shortly after graduation, Shinemon founded PICKLIST Inc. in Tokyo, a performance marketing company specializing in video-driven customer acquisition. Despite navigating the challenges of building a business during its early years, he successfully scaled the company to approximately JPY 2 billion in annual revenue by its sixth fiscal year.

In 2025, Shinemon established Akiyama Capital Inc. in New York as a search fund focused on cross-border entrepreneurship through acquisition. Within just four months of relocating to the United States, he secured exclusive acquisition rights for the fund’s first target company. Approximately four and a half months later, he completed a fundraising round of roughly JPY 810 million from 22 investors, including ICJ. In April 2026, only nine months after launching the search, he completed the acquisition of TEG Consulting, a U.S. executive search firm with a 30-year operating history.

Shinemon currently serves as CEO of TEG Consulting, where he leads post-acquisition integration and business development initiatives. His focus is on driving growth through executive search and executing a roll-up strategy centered on industrial and manufacturing-related businesses.

 Korea Search Fund Inc. CEO

Charles Ryu is the Founder & CEO of Korea Search Fund Inc., an institutional investment manager focused on backing searchers and acquisitions in Asia with a focus on Korea and Japan. Prior to investing in search funds, Charles was the Managing Partner & CEO of the first traditional search fund raised in Korea. 

Founder of Search Panda™ ETA Community

Yiqiao (Leo) Wang is the founder of Search Panda™, the first dedicated search fund and Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) community in Greater China. He has been active in supporting the development of the ETA ecosystem across Asia-Pacific, including serving as an organizing partner for the first China Search Fund Forum and Hong Kong’s first ETA Summit, and contributing to the development of the HKUST ETA Fellowship Program. Leo is also the Chinese translator of Search Funds and Entrepreneurial Acquisitions by Jan Simon, published by Shanghai University of Finance and Economics Press in 2025.

- Co-representative Director of the Japan Search Fund Association
- Managing Partner of Japan Bullseye Capital LLC
- President & CEO of Gateway Arch Co., Ltd.

After graduating from the Faculty of Literature at The University of Tokyo in 2013, Eisuke joined Mitsui & Co., Ltd.. During his time there, he managed overseas natural resource investment projects, helped establish a joint venture with regional companies in Shikoku, and was involved in logistics and futures trading for non-ferrous metals.

In 2023, Eisuke earned an MBA from IE Business School. In the same year, he co-founded Japan Bullseye Capital LLC with Suzaki Mizuharu. In 2025, he acquired Gateway Arch Co., Ltd. through a business succession transaction and assumed the role of President & CEO.

President & CEO of I'll Corporation

Born in 1986 in Yamanashi Prefecture, Mitsuya began his career at Toray Industries, Inc., where he worked in sales and new business development. In 2022, he founded M-Capital LLC, Japan’s second traditional search fund.

In 2024, Mitsuya acquired Aile Co., Ltd., a company specializing in the production of 3D models and expanded-polystyrene prototypes for theme parks, concerts, and other entertainment venues, and assumed the role of President & CEO.

He holds an MBA from IE Business School.

President & CEO of TAO Co., Ltd.

After graduating from the School of Commerce at Waseda University, Yoshiaki joined the Tokio Marine Group, where he worked in both Japan and the United States for a total of eight years. He later attended IESE Business School.

Following his graduation from IESE, he founded Japan Business Succession Partners LLC in 2019 as Japan’s first traditional search fund and began his search process. In December 2021, he acquired TAO Co., Ltd. and assumed the role of President & CEO.

He is also a licensed childcare professional in Japan and a U.S. Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Managing Partner, Nogizaka Partners LLC

After graduating from the Faculty of Law, Department of Political Science at Keio University, Kentaro worked at an operating company before joining Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting, where he supported the overseas expansion of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Through this experience, Kentaro developed a strong desire to become more directly involved in helping SMEs achieve sustainable growth and went on to earn an MBA from IESE Business School.

In 2025, Kentaro founded Nogizaka Partners LLC and is currently conducting a search for a company to acquire and lead through succession.

Managing Partner, Floreo Capital

Annie is the Managing Partner of Floreo Capital, Taiwan's first search fund, which she founded in 2024. She brings an extensive background in Business Development, Investor Relations, Family Office, Corporate Investment, and Venture Capital. Her professional footprint spans multiple Asian markets, including Taiwan, Thailand, Myanmar, and Indonesia. Annie holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and is a proud mother of two boys.

President and CEO, Plus-E Co., Ltd.

Yuki Mizoguchi is the President and CEO of Plus-E Co., Ltd. After beginning his career at Hitachi, he acquired and managed a manufacturing company through an entrepreneurial acquisition in 2018. Since 2020, he has been involved in search fund-driven acquisitions and succession of small and medium-sized businesses in Japan. He has led multiple acquisitions and post-merger growth initiatives. He currently oversees Plus-E, a renewable energy company he founded and scaled to over JPY 1.15 billion in annual revenue, while supporting the management of several group companies.

Managing Partner, Hachimoku LLC

Engaged in Management, IT, and BPR at a trading company.

• IT: At Marubeni, Japanese trading house, engaged in project management for ERP implementation, SCM system construction, and marketing site launch.

• Management: At Marubeni, promoted M&A of automotive companies and was involved in post-investment company management. Promoted performance visualization, profitability analysis, and new business development.

• BPR: Led an ERP implementation and accounting process reform project at Office Busters Inc (a used office furniture trading company). Formed a cross-function team to restructure business flows, achieving faster financial closing, internal control establishment, and deeper profitability analysis, contributing to the IPO.

• Graduated from Kyushu University, Faculty of Law

• Carnegie Mellon University (USA), MBA

Managing Partner, Yosuke Hara LLC

Yosuke Hara is the founder of Yosuke Hara Business Succession LLC, a Japanese search fund based in Tokyo. He spent nine years at INPEX Corporation — Japan's largest oil and natural gas exploration company — overseeing financial and accounting operations for overseas energy projects across the Middle East, Eurasia, and Africa, including a four-year posting in London. After earning an MBA from IE Business School (Madrid), he joined his family's small food processing and wholesale business as a senior executive, leading efforts to strengthen corporate systems, recruitment strategy, and digital transformation. He launched his search fund in 2026.

- Managing Director, Takada Shokei LLC / Director, Search Fund Association of Japan

Megumi worked at Google in both its Tokyo office and U.S. headquarters, where she was responsible for advertising sales and partnership strategy. After completing business school at Harvard, she joined Integral Corporation, where she evaluated investment opportunities and supported the growth of portfolio companies.

In 2021, Megumi founded a leadership education venture for middle and high school students, a lifelong passion project through which she has mentored approximately 4,500 students to date. She was also recognized as a finalist in the 7th Women Entrepreneurs Awards.

Megumi holds a bachelor's degree from the Faculty of Policy Management at Keio University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. She attended Harvard as both a Fulbright Scholar and a Kamiyama Foundation Scholar.

President of Granvia Partners GK

After graduating from Keio University with a degree in law, Yoshifumi began his career at Dai-ichi Life Insurance, where he gained broad management experience spanning sales, the management of insurance sales representatives, market strategy planning, and corporate planning. He then joined the Ministry of Finance, where he handled IR for Japanese Government Bonds. After earning the MBA from IE Business School in Madrid, Yoshifumi founded Granvia Partners GK, a traditional search fund, and he is currently searching for a business to acquire through succession.

Owner/ operator at Linganext

Mike is a UK born, Tokyo based 'balance sheet searcher', operating as a family business with his wife.

He has a background in management consulting at McKinsey and Bain and in emerging market PE investing with IFC. He has an MBA from Wharton.