We solve the complex social issues faced by emerging markets, building the economic foundations for a better society.

Kohei Muto
Partner/ Co-founder

Kohei has experience in advising global and local firms on capital raising, acquisition, and investment. He has successfully executed more than 35 deals worth more than 30 billion USD in 5 regions (Asia, US, Europe, Middle East, and Africa) across sectors.
He started his career at Morgan Stanley and later joined Shurook, a private equity investment subdivision of the Office of the Quartet, led by Tony Blaire, covering investments in banking and clean-tech sectors in the Middle East. He graduated from a boarding school in Pennsylvania, US, and graduated from Tsukuba University in Japan. He enjoys traveling and flying planes.

Kaoru Kaganoi
Partner/ Co-founder

Kaoru has experience in advising global companies, international aid agencies, development banks, and governments across Africa and Asia. He has served as a manager at McKinsey & Company’s Nairobi office and led 7 successful projects in 5 countries across Africa.
Kaoru started his career at McKinsey’s Tokyo office. He moved on to Shurook, a NGO formed under UNOPS, catalyzing private investments for Palestine as a project manager on Green Affordable City. He graduated from Waseda University Faculty of Law (Japan), and holds an MBA from INSEAD (France, Singapore, and UAE).

Yuga Kasai
Partner/ Co-founder

Yuga is a Certified Public Accountant of Japan, and an accounting management professional.
After working for an auditing firm, an accounting firm and a career college, he went on to work at Rwandan Company as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Administration Officer. He is the founder of Africa Accounting Advisory Ltd, the first Japanese accounting firm in Africa. He provides services including local and international tax help, IFRS, and management accounting. He has expertise working with Japanese clients as well as with managing projects in Africa. He graduated with his MBA from Keio University and Keio Business School.

Yukiko Shigenoi
Partner

Yukiko started her career at Goldman Sachs in the Investment Management Division. She has created new and manage existing relationships with some of the largest Japanese pension funds and universities, providing global investment solutions across all major asset classes, with a focus on alternative investments such as private equity/debt, hedge funds, domestic and international real estates.
Yukiko graduated from Doshisha University with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science. She also studied in Germany and interned at Vossius & Partners, an international law firm based in Munich.

Kristin Wilson
VP of West Africa

Kristin designs solutions at the confluence of business, culture, and politics in emerging markets. Using technology and psychometric tools, she helps companies reach, build, and engage with customers in these markets. As an operations optimisation expert and a business development advisor with extensive experience in the technology, education, agriculture and healthcare sectors, Kristin has previously worked as a consultant and strategic advisor across several African countries for a wide range of stakeholders including entrepreneurs, corporates, non-profits and civil society actors.She received her undergraduate degree from Princeton University, and her graduate degree in African Studies from University of Oxford. She is currently completing her PhD dissertation at Stanford University.

Seun Shokunbi
Manager of Market Research

Seun’s professional experience spans across nine years, with a focus on human capital development and social entrepreneurship in North and West Africa. Her career began with the United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (UN-OSAA), where she prepared technical reports, concept notes, and high-level events on behalf of the Under-Secretary-General Cheick Sidi Diarra. After completing graduate studies, she continued on as a data analyst and development manager and recently served as an independent consultant for startup enterprises founded by repatriated professionals from the African diaspora. Seun has a B.A. in Marketing and Communications from Fordham University, an M.Sc. in International Management from SOAS, University of London, and a pending Ed.M. from Columbia University.

Takayuki Matsuo
Legal Advisor

Takayuki is an attorney-at-law in Japan and the U.S. (New York and Washington D.C.), Partner at Momo-o, Matsuo &Namba (MM&N). He has expertise in emerging markets’ legal framework, and has experiences in information/ intelligence related laws (including AI). He published several books including university textbooks such as “AI/HR Technology Related – Legal Practice on Personal Management & Labor Related Information Management,” and research articles in refereed journals.
He is a graduate of The University of Tokyo (LL.B.), Harvard Law School (LL.M.), and Pekin University Law School (LL.M.).