Hiroshi Saito is a uniquely accomplished Japanese leader whose four-decade career spans the public and private sectors, domestic and international finance, strategic consulting, and cutting-edge innovation in AI and digital transformation.
Hiroshi previously served as the elected Governor of Yamagata Prefecture, with a population of 1.2 million, where he led bold reforms in fiscal policy, healthcare integration and government transparency—most notably establishing Japan’s first public-private hospital M&A model and launching the “Hometown Tax Donation Program,” now a national framework. He also successfully led the local football team to promotion into Japan’s top league, a symbol of civic pride and regional revitalization.
Earlier in his career, Hiroshi played a central role in financial systemic stability at the Bank of Japan (BoJ), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Deposit Insurance Corporation. As Chief Dealer at the BoJ, he conducted foreign exchange market interventions and helped resolve megabank failures. He also introduced risk-based supervision practices through the Risk Management Committee at the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), influencing banking oversight in Japan, the U.S. and Europe.
In the private sector, Hiroshi has held senior executive roles at Accenture, AECOM and Microsoft. He led disruptive business innovation, accelerated infrastructure investment, and spearheaded digital and AI transformation for Japan’s public institutions. He played a key role in implementing the “U.S.-Japan Partnership for Infrastructure Investment in Third Countries,” agreed upon in 2017, and also contributed to initiatives in smart city development, defense cooperation and cloud adoption in government.
Hiroshi is also deeply committed to thought leadership and education, serving as a visiting professor and policy fellow at several leading universities and institutions. Fluent in both Japanese and English, he holds M.A. degrees in International Relations and Public Policy from Johns Hopkins SAIS, and a B.A. in Economics from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies.
At Teneo, Hiroshi brings not only deep strategic insight and a powerful cross-sectoral network, but also a collaborative mindset and a nuanced understanding of the cultural dynamics of the Japanese market—often divergent from Western norms. He is always open to exchanging ideas, whether on Japanese politics, innovation policy or the evolving landscape of stakeholder engagement across APAC and globally.