Organized by Nikkei Business Publications, Inc. (Nikkei BP) and co-organized by FOURDIGIT Inc. and the National Innovation Agency (NIA) of Thailand, the event announces its venue and principal speaker lineup.
A special program within SITE 2026, one of Southeast Asia’s largest innovation festivals
SYNC Design & Innovation is realized in collaboration with SITE 2026 (June 25–27), the flagship startup and innovation technology festival hosted by NIA and one of the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia. Past editions have drawn more than 30,000 in-person visitors and generated approximately 2.89 million online impressions, establishing SITE as a focal point of the regional innovation calendar across Asia. SYNC will be staged on June 26, the second day of SITE 2026, as a dedicated forum within the festival, positioned as the meeting point where Japanese design intelligence converges with the cultural diversity of Asia.
A landmark gathering of Japan’s leading designers and business leaders
The program brings together pioneers who have carried the power of design from Japan to the global stage:
• Manabu Mizuno (good design company), known for long-horizon brand strategy and total direction
• Eisuke Tachikawa (NOSIGNER), Board of Directors, World Design Organization (WDO)
• Eriko Yamaguchi, founder of MOTHERHOUSE, a brand operating across six Asian markets
• Kazufumi Nagai (Tama Art University), behind the branding of numerous Japanese corporations
• Yoshihiro Yagi (dentsu Japan), recipient of more than 750 awards in Japan and abroad
From the co-organizer, Ryo Taguchi, CEO of FOURDIGIT Inc., who has pioneered UX design within Japan’s digital industry, and Takehiro Suenari, who has led service design practice across Southeast Asia, will also take the stage.
The business track features practitioners working at the intersection of AI, technology and enterprise, including Satoru Yamamoto, who leads AI initiatives across the Dentsu Group; Akio Kazama of ZOZO, Japan’s leading fashion commerce company; and Shinichiro Nishikawa of NTT DATA Global Payment, who has supported international financial innovation. They will be joined by senior leaders of Japanese enterprises based in Thailand.
Thai innovation and design leaders join the stage
From the host city, leaders shaping policy, business and design in Thailand will convene:
• Dr. Krithpaka Boonfueng, Executive Director of NIA, architect of the 4G Strategy for national growth
• Dr. Chakrit Pichyangkul, Executive Director of the Creative Economy Agency (CEA), driving Thailand’s creative economy
• Dr. Surapant Meknavin of the National Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Policy Council (NXPO), leading AI policy and digital transformation
• Dr. Nares Damrongchai, an international leader of organizational transformation
• Sumpatha Jadee, Senior Designer at Farm Group
A special live performance bridging music and innovation
Beyond the business and design sessions, SYNC will feature live performances by acclaimed Japanese and Thai artists, designed to symbolize the fusion of business and creativity and to broaden the event's reach to wider audiences.
Featured artists include: Wednesday Campanella, KIKI, EYE VDJ MASA (with ALS MASATANE MUTO), Takahito Uchisawa (androp), STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION, Tom Kawada, Ohzora Kimishima, Hana Taguchi, inmintcondition, and others.
Special guest: Kumamon to appear with Manabu Mizuno
The forum welcomes a special guest from Japan: Kumamon, Sales and Happiness Manager of Kumamoto Prefecture. The beloved mascot will share the stage with creative director Manabu Mizuno, who designed Kumamon.
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