TEAM｜mct Inc.

Team Members

Our members have a diverse range of experience, strengths, languages, and culture, enabling our teams to tackle problems on a wide range of business and organizational issues.

Experience Designer

Akihiro Yonemoto

Born in Sakai City, Osaka. After working for a food manufacturer in charge of marketing and strategy, he joined mct in 2014 and has been involved in various projects from product and service design to organizational design and human resource development. His areas of expertise include design research, marketing, and strategic planning. His hobby is watching baseball games.
Design Researcher

Ikumi Umeda

After studying design extensively in college, she studied design research in graduate school. Interested in co-design and wanting to further explore the possibilities of design, she joined mct in 2023.In addition, on an individual basis, she is always involved in some kind of activity with people. His specialty is picnics, and his favorite things are buddhas and cats.
COO/Innovation Consultant

Ichiro Tsukada

Engaged as a consultant since the launch of mct. Involved in product development and communication development in the broadcasting industry, consumer electronics industry, food industry, and household goods industry. Hobbies include watching movies and drinking draft beer.
Experience Designer

Wenxin Huang

Born and raised in China, she has studied in Shanghai, Florida and Tokyo. She has a good command of knowledge of Chinese market due to past work experience in media and educational industry in China. She is particularly interested in technology innovaton and age society. She holds a MBA degree from Waseda University.
Experience Designer

Eiko Ikeda

She has worked on a diverse range of design research, including persona development. She is responsible for insight exploration and concept development support in a wide range of industries including food, home furnishings, beauty, pharmaceutical, etc. She is a ZMET Licensed Moderator (since 2009) and she also runs Playful NetWork, which deals with organizational culture and teaming. Her goal is to be involved in service development that will contribute to her home region of Shikoku.
Experience Designer

Eric Frey

He completed his dual degree in Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology and Linguistics at the University of Michigan in 2007 and received his MBA from Hitotsubashi ICS in 2013. He has business experience in Japan, New York, and Shanghai. Her current goal is to help make the global approach more approachable and a more robust commitment to human-centered innovation.
Experience Designer

Keisuke Minowa

After graduating from the Faculty of Economics, he practiced service design at a design graduate school using a method that incorporates design thinking with service dominant logic. He joined mct in 2019 after completing his master's program. Belongs to Business Design Unit. He survives in this world with sauna and water bath.
Experience Designer

Kengo Arai

Majored in design engineering and engaged in design projects both in Japan and overseas as a student. After completing his master's degree, he engaged in design research and workshop planning/execution in a multinational FMCG manufacturer, and joined mct from 2021.
Experience Designer

Koji Hodono

After 16 years in the creative department as a copywriter, he has been working at mct since 2005, mainly in concept and idea development for food products, luxury goods, pharmaceuticals, and automobiles. Hobbies: Watching horses running, watching TV dramas. Skills: Creating beautiful reports. Weaknesses: I don't have a loud voice, and I am not good at improvising.
Experience Designer

Saori Kameda

After graduating from the Department of Japanese Literature, She worked as a copywriter before assuming her current position. She has experience assisting clients in ethnography, insight generation, and idea exploration.
Experience Designer

Saki Watanabe

Majored in learning environment design and workshops as a student. Belongs to the Organizational Design Unit. Engaged in human resource development, team building, and design research projects in the pharmaceutical, beauty, housing, and consumer electronics industries. Hobbies include searching for cafes with the best lattes.
Experience Designer

Satoshi Kageyama

Joined the company in 2007. His background is in aesthetics and art. Currently interested in creating mechanisms and places that enable people to express their creativity. As a music lover, he is experimenting with effective approaches to encourage emergence through sound. He is constantly creating background music playlists for workshops. In his private life, he is a father of two daughters. He is surprised and learns from his children's free and playful ideas every day.
Experience Designer

Shiho Ishihara

After studying architecture and working at an architectural design firm for 7 years, I joined mct in 2007. I would like to be involved in research and design that makes people happy in the world.
Experience Designer

Sho Ishiwata

In college and graduate school, she specialized in anthropology, exploring meditation and the world of modern witches. She then began her career as an editor/director. He studied at New York University's Graduate School of Design, where he specialized in learning experience design/learning games. Since returning to Japan, he has been involved in the "gamification" of products and services while creating learning games and simulations. His current theme is to pursue what playful design looks like and strive to realize it. He loves sake and craft beer. However, since having a child, he has been refraining from drinking them.
Experience Designer

Shuichi Jouriku

He initially worked as an art director and designer in the planning and production department, creating communication tools for apparel, interior design, and residential clients. In 2003, as director of the mct division, he began working primarily with design thinking. He has worked on product and service development projects utilizing methods such as ethnography, personas, journey mapping, co-creation, behavior change design, and meaning innovation.
Customer Success Associate

Shoko Strang

After studying language and hospitality Management&Services in New Zealand, returned to Japan and worked for Hilton hotel in Tokyo. And then moved back to New Zealand to work in marketing in the health care industry. Favorite quote: "A house without books is like a room without windows.
Director /CXM Consulting Leader

Jonathan Browne

Born in London. Graduated from the University of Cambridge with a degree in Japanese Studies, and established Forrester Research's Japan office in 2000, teaching persona and customer journey mapping know-how to the Japanese market. In 2009, he moved to Forrester London, where he worked on CX management, CX strategy consulting, and co-creation projects with clients. Joined mct in 2019. Languages: English, French, German, Japanese. Hobbies include hiking.
Design Strategist

Shimpei Tsurumori

After working in design research work such as persona development, he worked in product planning/development related work for a digital device manufacturer and a consulting firm. mct has rejoined the company in 2015. He is a first-class architect.
Experience Designer

Hong Xue

Born in Shang Hai, studied product design in college and joined mct in 2023. Meeting end-users, he aims at participatory design work that does not rely too much on tools, but makes it easier to understand what the participants want to convey. His interest is watching musicals.
Design Researcher

Sonoka Imagawa

My major is in spatial design and marketing in the design field.From my experience as a helper for people with disabilities in Denmark, I value non-verbal communication from the other person's point of view.My current goal is to help innovations that can transform diverse personalities such as disability, age, gender, and nationality into value. My personal life is nomadic living.
Experience Designer

Takumi Uchida

Joined mct in 2021 after graduation from a university. He majored in cultural anthropology and learnd ethnographic research. Moreover, having had interest towards foreign cultures, He had worked in a start-up of inbound tourism and experienced studying abroad in the University of Oregon, US. Looking forward to collaborating with you all in projects.
Strategist

Takeshi Sato

His areas of expertise are science (e.g., research theme development) and digital. His background is in biotechnology (biology) and counseling (psychology). He enjoys regulating his body with medicinal herbs and medicinal cooking.
Experience Designer

Tomo Kobata

Since 1994, He has been engaged in planning and copywriting communication tools in Daishinsha's creative department. In 1998, He promoted catalog marketing at mct's predecessor division. Since the launch of mct in 2002, He has promoted the launch of persona services - domestic diffusion and persona-driven digital marketing (website construction). Since 2010, He has been promoting customer experience design projects, focusing on the healthcare domain. He is a guitar-playing band-man. Love, peace & rock 'n' roll.
Designer

Haruhiko Kusanagi

Graphic Designer and AD, since 2004 at mct, mct learned ethnographic research methods from the Chicago Doblin Group in 2002, Idea Framework with London design firm The Division in 2007, Design Development Services in 2012. Co-developed Menu.
Experience Designer

Victor Corral

With his background in Interaction Design in the Cognitive Science department at Trento University, Victor has always been attracted to play with experiences using sensory design, to make those subtly more pleasant, especially when adding food and cross-cultural aspects into the mix.
CEO/Experience Designer

Hideaki Shirane

Joined Daishinsha in 1988, and started innovation services using personas and ethnography in 2002. He has contributed to Hitotsubashi Business Review (2007), Nikkei Information Strategy (2008), and Diamond Harvard Business Review (2010). He is a board member of the Persona & Customer Experience Society.
Experience Designer

Hitomi Murakami

After graduating from university, worked as a designer for a manufacturer in the design business. Experienced brand development and management, and communication strategy design. After that, she joined mct, where she is a member of the CX design team. Hobbies include going to live concerts and interacting with animals.
Design Strategist

Fumihiro Shimono

Business Design Unit, which supports innovation through design x business x technology. In charge of new business development. High work engagement. Gadget lover. Two children and a cat. Hates mosquitoes. / C++ >> Eye tracking >> Ergonomics >> Usability >> Data analysis >> Ethnography >> UIUX >> Business Design
Ethnographer

Natsuki Koizumi

She joined the company in 2006. After working as a copywriter to produce media such as corporate websites and company brochures, she was assigned to work in the research area. She has been involved in many research projects on cosmetics, beauty appliances, and other commercial products targeting women. Her special skill is Spanish (beginner level).
Experience Designer

Nanasa Asai

Joined the company in 2014. Since joining mct, he has been involved in research and analysis of various fields such as pharmaceutical, consumer electronics, finance, automotive, and beauty industries, as well as the development of new services. He handles both qualitative and quantitative research. Recently, she is developing a quantitative approach using big data and AI with a partner company. Also, for qualitative approach, he obtained ZMET method developed at Harvard Business School.
Experience Designer

Nobuo Masuda

He joined mct in 2006 and in 2009 he obtained a license for the ZMET method owned by OZA. In 2010, he acquired the Clue Scan methodology from Experience Engineering. Currently, he is engaged in projects related to CX design in various industries, including food, automotive, and pharmaceutical.
CCO/Experience Designer

Norihiko Yoshioka

Involved in the production of communication tools as a designer in the planning and production department, and has participated in many projects as a director in the user experience group of the mct division since 2006.
Design Researcher

Mina Soma

She studied the relationship between minorities/vulnerable groups and social structure at university. After doing a research practice, she became interested in user perspectives research and joined mct in 2023. Member of the CX Design Team. Sleeps a lot and reads a lot of manga.
Experience Designer

Makoto Ishiniwa

At university, she studied about activities and place design for rich learning experiences, and joined mct because she was interested in creating new things in communication. Instead of thinking that it cannot be done, She changes her point of view, such as how and with whom it can be done, and strive to do so every day. Her hobbies include watching films and taking walks while listening to music.
Ethnographer

Madoka Kurokawa

She have been involved in a variety of communication development and idea development, and have worked on numerous projects in a wide range of industries, including depth interviews and workshops. She hopes to help people in the world with services and experiences that excite them.
Ethnographer

Mana Shimooka

After working in sales and production management at an electronics manufacturer, she joined mct in 2019 because she wanted to be involved in developing products and services from a user perspective. She is interested in when people's feelings and thoughts are triggered. She conducts research through images and words, and sometimes uses photographs to represent these moments. She enjoys listening to music and playing drums.
Platform Manager

Masaru Masuda

After working at several venture companies, including one related to sustainability, I joined mct. I am interested in creating and developing a business. My hobby is reading.
Experience Strategist

My Ha Thi TRAN

Experience in digital marketing and communication strategic planning. Joined mct in 2014, after graduating from the MBA program at Hitotsubashi University ICS. Since then, she has been committed to human-centered innovation and advanced global approach.She has engaged in various projects related to global design and futures design, working with clients from different industries including beauty, automobiles, bathroom fittings and household appliances.
CX Technical Director

Yoshikatsu Minami

Started his career as a sales representative at a major telecommunications trading company. Later worked in business development and marketing at a web service management company. After working for several companies, including setting up marketing teams, he joined mct.
DX Business Design Director

Yuji Kuwayama

Joined Daishinsha in 2007 and engaged in communication design, digital marketing, event promotion, etc. Moved to mct in 2020 to support DX promotion in new business, marketing, sales, and human resource development areas. In 2020, he moved to mct to support DX promotion in the areas of new business, marketing, sales, and human resource development. He lives deep in the mountains of Nara Prefecture, where he spends his days observing wildlife and listening to music. He is always striving to find a local way for children to have a playful life through the power of digital technology.
Design Strategist

Yoichi Sugiki

With expertise of Design Research, Business Design and UX design, Yoichi has worked on various new business development / service design projects. He also has supported many clients with a coaching style.He has Master of Architecture Design from Kyoto University.
Project Designer/Consultant

Yosuke Fujita

After joining the CRM department in 2004, he worked with financial, apparel, and semiconductor clients before moving to mct in 2007, where he worked on projects in a variety of industries, including automotive, consumer electronics, telecommunications, food/beverage, and pharmaceuticals. His hobbies include musical instruments, motorcycles, and full-contact karate (Shodo-Kaikan).
Experience Designer

Yohei Ushijima

He has experience integrating and maintaining hospital information systems as a systems engineer, as well as management consulting on healthcare services for employees. His interests are focused around inclusive design. He likes jazz and playing bass and has two master’s degrees, Engineering and Business.
Experience Designer

Ryo Konaka

She joined mct in 2021 because of her interest in interviews and communicating something to people with words from her college experience. She would like to be involved in a project that will one day explore the concept of words. She like tanka poetry. She is currently studying it steadily!
Innovation Consultant

Ryuto Taoka

He joined mct in 2024 with an interest in 'CX' marketing, which focuses on people's emotions. In university, he studied accounting and worked in extra-curricular marching activities. In 2022, he joined the Chicago-based marching band 'The Cavaliers drum & bugle corps' and participated in the marching world championship 'DCI' (drum corps international). Hobbies include travelling and visiting ramen shops. He lives surrounded by cats. Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
Business Design Cat

Occasionally participate in web conferencing.