Governance
Discover the inner workings of UWC ISAK Japan on our Governance page. Explore our governance structure, accreditations, and access our annual reports for insights into our operations.
Board of Directors
Lin Kobayashi
Lin Kobayashi is the co-founder and Chair of the Board at UWC ISAK Japan. Ms. Kobayashi’s passion for education began during her studies at UWC Pearson College in Canada, where she was a recipient of full scholarship from Japan National Committee, and continued to develop over the years. Before returning to Tokyo in 2008 to launch the ISAK project, she spent two years working for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in the Philippines, where she worked to program non-formal education projects for street children. Prior to UNICEF, Ms. Kobayashi worked at the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC).
Ms. Kobayashi began her career at Morgan Stanley and holds an MA in International Education Policy Analysis from Stanford University and a BA in Development Economics from the University of Tokyo. She was also named a Yale Greenberg World Fellow. Ms. Kobayashi has received several honors as a leader and change-maker including “Young Global Leader 2012” by the World Economic Forum; “Change-maker of the Year 2013” by Nikkei Business; “Woman of the Year 2015” by Nikkei Woman; “Management Award of the Year 2016” by Zaikai, “EY Entrepreneur of The Year 2019 Japan” by Ernst & Young, and “Impact Award 2023” by Harvard Business School Club of Japan. She also serves on the boards of International House of Japan, U.S.-Japan Foundation, and UWC International Council.
Mamoru Taniya
While Mamoru Taniya serves as Chairperson of SDG Impact Japan, his life’s work has been dedicated to developing projects and services that respond to the evolving needs of society. Among his many successful initiatives are the launch of Lifenet Insurance Company, Japan’s first online life insurance provider, and Money Design, Japan’s first robo-advisory service. He also serves as Chairman of MNES and Discover Japan.
In 2005, he conceived the ISAK concept and became the founding representative of UWC ISAK Japan, the country’s first international boarding school. As both an entrepreneur and a father of three, his work reflects a deep commitment to wellbeing, education, and long-term social impact. Mr. Taniya received his B.A. in Law from the University of Tokyo in 1987.
Ronna Chao
Ronna serves as the CEO of Novel Investment Partners Limited, Chairperson of Novetex Textiles Limited, and a Director of Novelpark Investments Limited, overseeing investment, portfolio management, property development, and textile manufacturing. Prior to joining the Novel Group, she worked in New York at Goldman Sachs and Tommy Hilfiger Corporation.
She is also the CEO and Chairperson of the Board of Bai Xian Asia Institute (BXAI), which runs the Asian Future Leaders Scholarship Program. Each year, the program supports up to 100 scholars to study abroad at partner universities in Greater China and Japan.
In addition, she serves in different capacities on the boards or councils of various organizations and institutions, including the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Asia Society Hong Kong Center, the University of Oxford and Waseda University. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Brown University, an MBA from Stanford University, and studied at Keio University in Tokyo.
Kenji Govaers
Kenji Govaers is a strategy consultant and entrepreneur with a career spanning business transformation, institutional governance, and early-stage innovation.
After nearly two decades at Bain & Company, advising global clients on growth and organizational change, Kenji recently co-founded NyuuLy, a digital platform improving access to essential services for foreign residents in Japan. He is also an active angel investor, supporting mission-driven startups.
In addition to serving as a Board Member at UWC ISAK Japan, he is a Vice Chair of the Board of Councilors at OIST, a leading science and technology institute in Japan. A French national of Japanese descent, he has lived and worked across Europe, the US, and Japan. He is also a co-founder of Asia Society Japan, promoting cross-cultural dialogue and collaboration.
Fluent in English, French, and Japanese, Kenji enjoys travel, long-distance endurance races, and the ongoing challenge of finding new passions.
Yasushi Hatakeyama
After retiring from a successful 35-year career in investment banking/M&A, Yasu now teaches a course on M&A as a Visiting Professor at Hitotsubashi ICS Business School.
Most recently, Yasu spent 32 years at Lazard Freres & Co. Joining the firm in New York in 1991, he was a generalist M&A banker focusing on a variety of US and European M&A transactions. In 2000, Yasu was asked to establish the firm’s Japanese business and became the CEO of Lazard Freres K.K., the firm’s Japanese investment banking subsidiary. Yasu has developed a series of long-term relationships with blue-chip Japanese clients and advised them on a number of landmark M&A transactions. He returned to the firm’s New York HQs in 2021 and became a Vice Chairman of Investment Banking.
Yasu started his career at First Boston’s Tokyo M&A Group in 1988 before transferring to their New York M&A Group.
In addition, Yasu has advised Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (“METI”) on the development of hostile takeover defense guidelines in Japan. In addition, he was a member of the Corporate Value Study Group (METI); the Working Group for the Reform of Tender Offer Rules (Financial System Council); and the Chief Strategic Officer and Executive Director of the Japan Tennis Association.
Yasu earned his B.A. in Economics from Keio University.
Ryo Ohira
Ryo Ohira, Managing Director, joined the firm in 2004. He is the Partner and serves on the firm’s Operating Committee of Neuberger Berman Group. As the Head of Neuberger Berman East Asia Ltd. (Japan and South Korea), he led the company’s start-up and the growth strategy since its founding. Japan office’s AUM from clients is JPY 9,152.8 bn as of the end of September 2022. In 2019, Japan office has launched Japan Equity ESG Engagement Strategy for mid-small cap listed equities and all-cap listed equities. In addition, Japan PE team has been expanding LP, Co-Investment and Secondary Investment activities in private markets recently. Prior to joining the firm, Ryo worked at Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group to develop an alternative investment program for Japanese institutional clients. He earned a BS in Engineering from the University of Tokyo and an MS in Finance and Management from the University of Tsukuba. He is a member of Japan Association of Corporate Executives, “Keizai Doyukai”.
Toru Shimada
Toru Shimada began his career at Recruit Co., before co-founding Intelligence Co., Ltd. in 1989. After leaving Intelligence in 1999, he served as President and Owner of Rakuten Baseball Team, and Vice President of Rakuten, Inc. He also became COO of USEN-NEXT HOLDINGS Co., Ltd. in 2017 where he served until 2021. Toru serves on the Board of Directors of a number of companies and as an angel investor has supported the growth of more than 170 startups.
Riku Sugie
Riku Sugie is a business leader who has driven transformation and organizational growth across the fintech and healthcare sectors. As President and CEO of Paidy, a leading BNPL platform in Japan, he led the company through rapid growth, its acquisition by PayPal, and subsequent expansion. He currently leads Mpathy Inc., operating hospice and outpatient clinic businesses under the philosophy of “Mission-Driven, Human-Centered,” with the goal of bringing people and healthcare closer together. He is also engaged in long-term investment and management support for small and mid-sized businesses, and serves as an outside director for multiple public and startup companies. He frequently travels between Japan, the United States, and Canada, where his family resides, and values learning across cultures. He graduated from the University of Tokyo in 1994 and received master’s degrees from Columbia Business School and Columbia Engineering in 2000.
Arden Tyoschin
Arden is a creative and curious thinker and doer who uses the mission and vision of her school as a lens for decision-making. She also uses collaborative design thinking as an approach to continuous improvement that focuses on students’ learning experiences. Throughout her distinguished career, she has served in various leadership positions at international schools around the world. These include Harare International School Zimbabwe for the last 5 years as Director, Nanjing International School and Xiamen International School in China for over 16 years combined, and several other schools in Canada and Russia. Truly a global citizen in outlook and experience, she speaks English, Russian, French, conversational Mandarin and basic Shona.
Honorary Advisor
Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado
Councils
Chair Gen Miyazawa
Ken Aoyama
Hideaki Arai
Matt Cheng
Tatsuya Hayashi
Masahisa Ikeda
Tomonori Ito
Kei Iwashita
Sara Kuleza
Shin Ji Low
Keiko Sato
Mariko Shimizu
Daniel Szeto
Yasunori Lin Tsumura
Advisory Board
Chair Fumio Tateishi
Yasushi Ando
Heang Chhor
Jun Furukawa
Yasuchika Hasegawa
Hidehiko Hayashi
Ryusuke Honjyo
Kenji Hosokawa
Hidehiro Imatsu
Kakutaro Kitashiro
Yojiro Koizumi
Hiroko Kono
Masahiro Koshiba
Mariko Magnan
Paul McInerney
Shusaku Minoda
Ichiro Miyake
Takashi Murata
Shigeru Sato
Teruhide Sato
Hikaru Shimura
Michiyo Shimura
Kan Suzuki
Makoto Takano
Yasuhiro Wakebayashi
Kotaro Yamagishi
Kimiya Yamamoto
Masakazu Yanagisawa
Charlotte Yew
Statutory Auditor
Tony Insung Cha
Kaori Sugimoto
Accreditation
Japanese Ministry of Education (MEXT)
UWC ISAK Japan is accredited through the Japanese Ministry of Education (MEXT). Graduates of UWC ISAK Japan receive a Japanese high school diploma upon graduation.
International Baccalaureate Organization
UWC ISAK Japan is an Official IB World School, authorized by the International Baccalaureate Organization to teach the two-year International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP).
Publications
Annual Reports
Go here to view the 2025-26 Annual Report
Financial Statements & Appraisals
