Mr.

Takashi OTSUKA

Takashi Otsuka is the Director of Strategic Operations at the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) since July 2025. He previously held the position of Director of Knowledge and Communications, where he collaborated closely with diverse stakeholders to accelerate the transition toward a sustainable society.

His career at IGES began in 1999, contributing to numerous research initiatives, including comparative studies on environmental consciousness across Asia. From 2004 to 2006, he was seconded to the UNEP Headquarters in Nairobi as Task Manager for Asia and the Pacific. In this role, he coordinated GEF projects focused on the vital balance between coastal ecosystem conservation and local livelihoods. Following his tenure at UNEP, he returned to IGES to help shape the Institute’s Medium- and Long-term Strategy. He also provided leadership as the Director of the ICLEI Japan Office from 2015 to June 2018.