Leadership Leadership
President and CEO Makoto Saito
After entering Sony in 1991, Makoto Saito spent ten years as a semiconductor engineer before joining the team formulating technology strategy. In 2012 he moved to Sony Computer Science Laboratories. In charge of new business creation projects, In 2015, he led the establishment of Sony Global Education Inc. and participated in its management team (resigned in February 2021); in 2017, he was appointed to the Board of Directors with the establishment of Ghelia. In November 2021, he was appointed President and CEO of Ghelia.
Deputy President and CFO Takeshi Suto
Over a diverse career in management and investment strategies at various Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed companies, Takeshi Suto oversaw the successful IPO of startups. In 2018 he joined Ghelia's business administration division. A member of the Board of Directors, he manages finance, budgeting, and economic strategy.
Executive Vice President, COO Tetsuro Masuda
Beginning in 2007, Tetsuro Masuda oversaw B2B solutions for Ubiquitous Entertainment, Inc. (UEI Corporation). From 2010 he joined Togetter Inc. to oversee SNS and media operations. He was part of the NWS Project begun in 2014 that led to the creation of Ghelia, and has since assumed the role of Board Director.
Executive Vice President Taichi Kakinuma
Member of Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's Committee for Contract Guidelines on Utilization of AI and Data. Mr. Kakinuma has come to be regarded as one of Japan's foremost experts on AI-related legal issues and is a much sought-after speaker. Through extensive experience and knowledge gained by handling numerous copyright-related cases as well as his qualification and consulting experience as a Small and Medium Enterprise Management Consultant, Mr. Kakinuma has developed a deep familiarity and understanding of corporate management and related issues. He primarily represents companies and enterprises with copyright needs, including AI vendors, small and medium-sized manufacturers, content production companies and the like.
Full-time Audit & Supervisory Board Member Narumi Okuyama
Certified public accountant and tax accountant.
Narumi Okuyama became an Audit & Supervisory Board Member of GHELIA INC. in June 2020 after the end of her term of an Audit & Supervisory Board Member of Eltes Co.,Ltd. since May 2015.
Okuyama established Narumi Okuyama CPA Office in May 2014 and mainly supports companies preparing to go public.
Prior to this time at KPMG AZSA LLC. she was in charge of a wide range of tasks such as listing support operations in addition to accounting audits and internal control audits.
Audit & Supervisory Board Member Nanako Ishido Ph.D.
President, CANVAS
President, Learning of Tomorrow
CEO, Digital Ehon
Professor, Keio University Graduate School Of Media Design
Audit & Supervisory Board Member Akira Muto
Akira Muto became an outside Audit & Supervisory Board Member of GHELIA INC. in March 2020 after the end of his term of an Audit & Supervisory Board Member of Asahi Group Holdings,Ltd. since 2015.
He also serves as an outside Audit & Supervisory Board Member of J-OIL MILLS , Inc.
Prior to this time Muto started his career mainly involved in accounting and finance operations with Asahi Breweries,Ltd. since 1988.
He became a director of Asahi Breweries, Ltd. in 2009. after serving as Executive Officer and General Manager of Accounting Department of Wakodo Co., Ltd. (Asahi Group Foods Co., Ltd.), and was appointed Director and Executive Officer and General Manager of Planning Division of Asahi Food & Healthcare Co., Ltd. (Asahi Group Foods Co., Ltd.) in 2014.
Muto was much more Involved in food-related business and company management in his career.
Founder Hiroaki Kitano Ph.D.
KITANO is President and CEO of Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc., Senior Executive Vice President and CTO, Corporate Executive Officer, Officer in charge of R&D, and Officer in charge of AI Collaboration of Sony Group Corporation, Representative Director and CEO of Sony Research Inc., President of The Systems Biology Institute, and Professor at Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University. He is also a Founding President of the RoboCup Federation, President of International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI) (2009-2011), Member of the AI & Robotics Council (2016-2018), Quantum Computing Council (2019-2020) of The World Economic Forum, and Fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) (2021-).
Founder, Advisor Ryo Shimizu
Born in Niigata, Ryo Shimizu has traveled the world as a programmer. His passion for using AI to advance humanity led to the founding of Ghelia in 2017 along with Sony CSL and WiL LLC, and he was appointed President of Ghelia. His many books include "Introduction to Programming for Education" (Chuokoron), "Understanding Artificial Intelligence" (Kadokawa), and "The Crazy Life of a Programmer" (Shobunsha). In November 2021, he was appointed Chairperson of Ghelia, and appointed to current position in June 2022.
History History
Striving for "Symbiosis of Humanity and AI", Ghelia aims to create artificial intelligence that expands our innate human potential. Our goal is not merely to provide solutions to problems, but to craft AI that generates delight, wonder, and insight. Utilizing the latest in deep learning technology, we are committed to creating AI software that everyone can use and enjoy.
GHELIA INC. was founded in June of 2017 by UEI Corporation, Sony Computer Science Laboratories Inc, and WiL LLC.
Company Overview Company Overview
Name
GHELIA INC.
Founding
June 30, 2017
Board Members
  • Makoto Saito, President and CEO
  • Takeshi Suto, Deputy President and CFO
  • Tetsuro Masuda, Executive Vice President, COO
  • Taichi Kakinuma, Executive Vice President
  • Yusuke Hideshima, Operating Officer VPoE (Vice President of Engineering)
  • Kohei Nishimura, Operating Officer VPoT (Vice President of Technology)
  • Narumi Okuyama, Full-time Audit & Supervisory Board Member
  • Nanako Ishido Ph.D., Audit & Supervisory Board Member
  • Akira Muto, Audit & Supervisory Board Member
  • Hiroaki Kitano Ph.D., FounderPresident of Sony Computer Science Laboratories Inc and director of the Systems Biology Institute
  • Ryo Shimizu, Founder, Advisor
Business
Consulting, development, and implementation for AI-based software and systems.
Major shareholders
(no particular order)
Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc.
WiL,LLC
SIGMAXYZ Investment Inc.
Mizuho Bank, Ltd.
Mizuho FinTech Fund Limited Partnership
Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd.
Trygroup Inc.
ZUKEN Inc.
GLOBIS CAPITAL PARTNERS & Co.
Norinchukin Capital Co., Ltd.
SMBC Venture Capital Co., Ltd.
Mitsubishi UFJ Capital Co., Ltd.
SHINSEI CORPORATE INVESTMENT LIMITED
Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha
Location
Yamaguchi Bldg.7 8F 4-19-9 Taito, Taito-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Access
  • 8 minutes by foot from Uenohirokoji Station (Ginza Subway Line)
  • 5 minutes by foot from Nakaokachimachi Station (Hibiya Subway Line)
  • 8 minutes by foot from Shinokachimachi Station (Toei-Oedo Subway Line)
  • 8 minutes by foot from Okachimachi Station (JR Yamanote and Keihin Tohoku Lines)
  • 8 minutes by foot from Shinokachimachi Station (Tsukuba Express)