Kei Izawa
Kei Izawa is extensively experienced in forging corporate mega deals and in organizing large-scale projects around the globe. As a senior executive of General Motors Corporation for 14 years and 10 years working for the Japanese government in international trade, he was involved in many joint venture negotiations and in the implementations of numerous projects, including the NUMMI project between GM and Toyota Motor in Fremont California, the CAMI project between GM and Suzuki Motor Company in Ingersoll, Canada, the IBC project between GM and Isuzu Motors in Luton, England, and the Opel Distribution Agreement between GM and Yanase in Japan. He served as the Representative General Director of GM’s Opel Division in Japan, 1991 - 1996, during which time he brought Opel from a minor position in the automotive marketplace to becoming one of the leading imported brands in Japan. His last position with GM, in Ruesselsheim, Germany, was Regional Sales Director of Light Commercial Vehicles and SUVs for Europe.
Izawa’s background both in the automotive industry and the Japanese government, not only points to his strength in intercultural negotiations but also to his skills in innovative marketing methods, e.g., the first introduction of web marketing to the automotive industry (Japan, 1994). His broad network of colleagues and friends is not limited to the automotive industry but includes the government, IT, advertising, entertainment, health, environment, outdoor industry, and the media in general.
Kei Izawa currently resides in Boulder, Colorado where he was Vice President and advisor to MontBell, the largest Japanese outdoor gear and apparel company, assisting them with their growth in the very competitive outdoor marketplace and especially in their marketing launch in the United States. With strong interest in healthy life style, Izawa is involved in a new project to disseminate healthy lifestyles of Boulder, Colorado, to Japan. He is currently working with the leading Japanese LOHAS monthly publication Sotokoto reporting on Boulder, the Mecca for LOHAS.
As an avid practitioner of Aikido, a Japanese martial art, for the last 39 years, Izawa has been active in teaching the art both physically and spiritually around the world. Izawa holds the rank of 5th degree black belt and is a Council member of the Aikikai Organization, based in Tokyo, Japan.
Kei Izawa graduated from Keio University in Tokyo majoring in political science and completed his graduate studies at Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in International Relations. He is currently an advisor to the University of Colorado East Asian programs and Board of Trustee of the Boulder History Museum. Kei Izawa is fluent in Japanese, Spanish, and English and has a good command of some other languages as well. He has co-authored two books and numerous articles in Japanese. Currently has completed translating the biography of the founder of Aikido into English to be published sometime mid 2008.
For more information on Kei, please visit http://boulderlohas.blogspot.com/