Yuko Nakahata is a Japanese entrepreneur, independent board director and sustainability strategist who has built and scaled businesses across Asia for more than two decades. As Founder and CEO of SustainaSeed, she advises organisations on sustainable growth, governance and long-term value creation. Holding multiple independent board roles across Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime and Growth Market companies, Yuko is recognised for combining commercial discipline with purpose-driven leadership, making her a highly sought-after speaker on entrepreneurship, ESG strategy and board-level transformation.
Yuko began her career in 1995 as a Sales Executive at BacksGroup before joining Smart Inc. in 1999, rising from Sales Manager to CEO in 2002. In 2005, she founded Partir Inc., successfully scaling and exiting the venture. Between 2010 and 2017, she was based in Hong Kong, where she led multi-country business development and APAC regional operations across Southeast Asia. This period cemented her expertise in cross-border expansion, multicultural leadership and high-growth market strategy.
In 2018, Yuko was appointed Independent Board Director at JELLY BEANS GROUP Co. Ltd, followed by Kourakuen Holdings Corp in 2019. In 2024, she became an Independent Board Director and Chair of the Nomination and Compensation Committee at NAC Co. Ltd on the TSE Prime Market, and in 2025, joined Tameny Inc. as an Independent Board Director on the TSE Growth Market. Alongside her board portfolio, she founded SustainaSeed in 2021 to advance sustainable investing and responsible corporate strategy. She also serves as a Guest Professor at iU, Mentor at Venture Café Tokyo, and is a supporting member of TiE Japan and the Japan Association of Corporate Directors.
Academically, Yuko holds an MBA from the University of Cumbria, a Corporate HR Management qualification from the Hong Kong Management Association, and completed Harvard Business School Online programmes in Sustainable Business Strategy and Sustainable Investing. As a speaker, she shares practical insights on breaking glass ceilings, building resilient APAC businesses, strengthening governance, and aligning profitability with sustainability. Her global perspective, boardroom credibility and entrepreneurial track record position her as an authoritative yet relatable voice on modern leadership.
