Shintaro Ishida
Country Lead, Japan
Mountains and oceans figure strongly in Shintaro’s identity. Born on Japan's West Coast in the Toyama Prefecture framed by Toyama Bay and the Tateyama Mountains it was inevitable that he would be influenced by nature. Outdoor activities combined with an appreciation of fine dining, and natural ingredients helped fuel his interest in food and the environment.
Shintaro attended schools in Japan, USA, and Belgium, and later majored in International Area Studies at the Political Science Dept of Keio University, Tokyo, Japan. These experiences magnified his fascination with cultural diversity, its expression in local food and how it functions as a sign of identity and pride by the local populations in Europe and beyond. In Japan, Shintaro became more concerned with the preservation of local communities and especially local food and primary industry including fisheries traditions.
Throughout his 20 years career at a trading house (Sumitomo Corporation) and food manufacturer, Shintaro benefitted from exposure to multinational M&A, subsidiary management, and new business development.
Today he's excited to apply these professional skills to align strategy with all the stakeholders, and to plan financing for scaling the Urchinomics business model in Japan. Moreover, Shintaro is motivated to help accelerate environmental restoration, together with helping to revive local economies within Japan and the world to ultimately preserve diversity in nature and culture.