Ren Ito

Technology, Financial Services, Government

Ren is an entrepreneur, investor, and former diplomat. Previously, he took the lead on the global expansion of Mercari, Japan's first unicorn start-up as CEO of Mercari Europe (2016-2019), as well as successfully orchestrated its IPO of US$6bn in 2018. Prior to that, Ren held key positions in the Japanese Foreign Service (2001-2015), where he worked on the security alliance between Japan and the US, the free trade agreement with the EU, and represented Japan at the World Bank board. Ren is now a Senior Fellow at New York University (NYU) School of Law and the youngest member of the Trilateral Commission. 

Ren received his Master of Laws from NYU School of Law (2004) and Bachelor of Laws from the University of Tokyo (2001) and is admitted to practice law in New York (2005-present). Ren also holds a Master of Arts in East Asian Studies from Stanford University (2005).