Takeshi Natsuno, Professor of KEIO University, former Senior Vice President of NTT DoCoMo, developed the business strategy of all of NTT DoCoMo’s multimedia-related services, including i-mode strategic alliances with global application/content providers and key Internet players.
Mr. Natsuno, one of the key developers of i-mode business models, managed the Japan launch of i-mode in 1999. The service has achieved tremendous success, attracting about 48 million subscribers to date while pioneering the world’s non-voice communications market. Widely regarded as a leading expert on the Internet and multimedia, he was named one of the world’s 25 most influential e-business leaders by Business Week in 2001.
Mr. Natsuno started his career with Tokyo Gas, one of Japan’s largest utilities. He later held key executive positions with HyperNet, a leading Internet venture company. He joined DoCoMo in 1997 and he started his new career as a professor of KEIO University, a board of directors of Dwango, Sega Sammy Holdings, Pia, Trans Cosmos from 2008 and Gree from 2009.
Mr. Natsuno is the author of i-mode Strategy, published in 2000, a la i-mode, published in 2002, Keitai-no-Mirai, published in 2006, Iccho-yen kaseida otokono shigotojutu, Google ni izonshi Amazon wo maneru bakakigyou published in 2009, Natsuno-ryu datu Galapagos no shikouhou published in 2010. iPhone vs. Android published in 2011. Naze-Daikigyou-ga-totsuzen-tsuburerunoka? in 2012.
He graduated from Waseda University in Japan with a bachelor’s degree in political science and economics in 1988 and received a master’s degree in business administration from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1995.