President & CEO, Board Member, Investment Committee Member

Yasuo Yamada has served as President & CEO of Sapphire Capital Co., Ltd. since 2019, bringing extensive experience in growth capital investment and executive leadership at major Japanese corporations.

At Ant Capital Partners, Mr. Yamada specialized in growth capital investments. He later served as CFO of Loadstar Capital, leading its successful IPO on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, and lead M&A department at Fast Retailing Co., Ltd., where he managed key strategic transactions.
Mr. Yamada began his career at Nippon Steel Corporation, focusing on urban redevelopment projects He also gained expertise in management consulting at Gemini Consulting (now PwC Strategy&), spearheading operational and organizational reforms for major manufacturers.

He holds a B.A. in Literature from the University of Tokyo and an MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Managing Partner, Investment Committee Member

Koji Sato joined Sapphire Capital Co., Ltd. as a founding member, where he has been Managing Partner since 2019. He leads the firm's investment team with nearly 20 years of experience in TMT (Technology, Media, and Telecom) sector banking and M&A advisory.

Before joining Sapphire, Mr. Sato held senior and professional positions at Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, SMBC Nikko, HSBC, and KPMG, where he advised clients on complex transactions and strategic initiatives. He started his career as an auditor at Deloitte, specializing in banking and securities sectors.

He graduated magna cum laude with dual B.S. degrees in Management and International Business from Stern School of Business at New York University. He is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) qualified in Japan.

External Board Member, Investment Committee Member

Managing Partner & Executive Deputy President of Polaris Capital Group Co., Ltd.
Yuzo Kanamori joined Polaris in July 2023 after serving as executive deputy president of Mizuho Securities. At Mizuho Securities, he was engaged in corporate planning, risk management and compliance as a member of the Board of Directors as well as global investment banking business. During his time at Mizuho Securities, he stayed in London and served as a head of ECM and M&A division of Mizuho International. Before that, he worked 16 years in corporate banking at The Industrial Bank of Japan (IBJ).
He also serves as Auditor at Ecrasia HD and Social Inclusion Inc.

He holds a B.A. in Economics from Keio University and an MBA from UC Berkeley Haas School of Business.

External Board Member, Investment Committee Member

President & CEO of Sugashita Partners Inc.
Takahiro Sugawara founded Eltes Inc. in 2004 during his time at the University of Tokyo, pioneering digital risk management in response to emerging internet technologies. Under his leadership, Eltes Inc. achieved a successful IPO on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in 2016.

In 2027, Takahiro expanded Eltes into risk solutions for crime and terrorism prevention, establishing a strategic subsidiary to address these challenges.

He holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Tokyo.

Investment Officer

Kento Kikukawa joined Sapphire Capital Co., Ltd. in 2022 with management consulting experience in various sectors.

He started his career at McKinsey & Company in 2019, where he advised clients across manufacturing, telecommunications, consumer goods, and retail sectors on strategy, operational improvements, marketing, and new business execution.

He holds a B.S. and M.S. in Energy Science from Kyoto University.

Investment Officer

Eman Nour joined Sapphire Capital Co., Ltd. in October 2024, with her diverse experience in consulting , financial advisory, and M&A.

Prior to joining Sapphire, she worked as a freelance consultant, focusing on cross-border consulting for consumer goods and healthcare while managing operations for a U.S. consumer services business. She then worked at L.E.K. Consulting in 2021, advising on cross-border consumer goods and healthcare M&A, due diligence, and market entry strategies.

Ms. Nour began her career at Deloitte in 2017, specializing in consulting and financial advisory. Her responsibilities included managing transfer pricing and budget control for cosmetics and food & beverage companies, conducting financial analysis and M&A valuation for the consumer goods and chemicals sectors.

She holds a B.S. in International Relations from Tsuda University.