PECHTER Kenneth
Business School of Innovation Management
Professor

• Researchmap URL

  https://researchmap.jp/pechter

• Profile

  Dr. Pechter earned his BS magna cum laude and MS in Electrical & Computer Engineering at the University of California, Irvine in 1987 and 1988, and his PhD in Innovation Management & Policy at the University of Tokyo’s Research Center for Advanced Science & Technology in 2001. He served on the University of Tokyo faculty for ten years, followed by 15 years in the private sector, primarily as a producer and business development consultant active in such creative industries as media, entertainment, fashion and high tech. He has also worked for various task forces of both the governments of the US and Japan, as well as for the national laboratory system of the government of Denmark.,,, In the media industries Kenneth was on the teams bringing Hollywood-style pitching to the Tokyo International Film Festival, creating the strategic alliance between Japan’s leading production house Yoshimoto Kogyo and Hollywood’s leading talent agency CAA, and producing anime, feature and short films. As producer his recent film “Free Foot Jam” premiered at the Kendal Mountain Festival in 2016, and introduced the new and growing back-to-basics hand-made snowboard movement known as yuki-ita. He is co-producer of the feature film “Shinpan,” director John Williams’ re-telling of Kafka’s “The Trial” placed in modern-day Japan, which is touring theaters in Japan. ,, In the academic world Kenneth has focused on supporting innovation via the creation of connections between universities, companies and government, now at Hosei University Business School and previously as professor of interdisciplinary information studies at the University of Tokyo. ,, As one who has invested much of his life in Japan and travels the country over as an avid marathon runner, triathlete, snowboarder and surfer, Kenneth is committed to regional development and long-term quality-of-life issues throughout Japan. In particular, he supports Japanese regional development via the Hosei internship program he helps run, sending 10-15 MBA students per year to partner villages, towns and cities throughout Japan. He has become personally involved in partner locations, carrying out fact-finding visits and participating in forward-looking dialogues in such locations as Aya Town in Miyazaki Prefecture, Kiyama Town in Saga Prefecture, and Isumi City in Chiba Prefecture. , In Isumi in particular, he has been exploring ways to improve inbound tourism and quality-of-life developments for residents as they prepare for the nearby 2020 Olympic Surfing event, and loves spending time there getting to know Isumi’s challenges and possibilities.