The Team

Japan House London’s team of dedicated directors is supported by a panel of highly experienced non-executive directors and a creative team that includes some of Japan’s most celebrated talent. The project also receives the invaluable input of an Independent Advisory Council and is proud of its diverse workforce, committed to sharing their passion for Japan.

Japan House London Directors

• Sam Thorne

  Director General & CEO

  Sam Thorne is a curator and writer committed to education, experimentation and exchange. As a museum director, Sam was most recently director of Nottingham Contemporary, where he oversaw more than 30 exhibitions; prior to that he was artistic director of Tate St Ives. Previously, he was associate editor of frieze magazine, was a co-founder of Open School East, a free-to-attend independent studies programme, and is the author of the book School (2017). Sam has taught and lectured widely at universities and art schools, and written numerous catalogue essays and articles. He grew up visiting Japan regularly with his Japanese-speaking mother.

• Carolyn Burnett

  Executive Director

  Carolyn Burnett spent her early career with IBM as a consultant project manager in their consulting business, before going on to establish Manchester Art Show, the largest contemporary art fair in the North of England. She headed up live content for global events company UBM, leading on an annual series of international events and managing partnerships with key industry associations across the globe. At Japan House London, Carolyn leads on Corporate Development and the Enterprises business, focusing on building a sustainable future for the organization and driving a legacy of engagement between the UK and Japan. Carolyn is a member of both of the company boards for Japan House London.

• Simon Wright

  Director – Programming

  Simon Wright has over 30 years’ experience of either working in, or with, Japan – notably his work with the Embassy of Japan in London curating exhibitions and programming events with an emphasis on innovation and emerging Japanese talent. He has been with the Japan House project from the beginning, bringing insight and innovation. He works closely with a wide variety of content holders from Japan on a daily basis and is passionate about allowing activities to form through co-creation and co-production. For Simon, Japan House London is a place to discover and explore how Japanese tradition informs the present and the future.

• Heidi Isa

  Director – Marketing & Communications

  Heidi began her professional career with 3 years in Nagasaki as a Coordinator for International Relations, before returning to the UK and sharing British culture with Japanese audiences through her work with Fuji Television. As Head of Business Development for Toppan Printing in the UK, she developed European markets for innovative Japanese products before pursuing roles in destination marketing with Winchester City Council and Southampton Business Improvement District. Heidi’s role at Japan House London allows her to combine her passion for Japan with her expertise in destination marketing to drive footfall both to the venue on Kensington High Street and beyond that, to Japan.

• Suruchi Saraf

  Finance Director

  Suruchi Saraf is an executive finance leader with extensive experience across commercial and non-profit organizations. Most recently, she was Director of Finance and Corporate Services at Dementia UK where she led the company’s successful financial performance, governance, and digital transformation. Her previous roles include senior positions at national mental health charity Mind, ZSL London Zoo, Royal Ballet and Opera, and English National Ballet.

  In her role as Associate Director of Finance at Japan House London, Suruchi leads Finance, Governance, and IT. She has a strong interest in Japan and is committed to supporting the organization’s mission to promote Japanese cultures and cultural exchange.

Non-executive Directors

• Nakajima Yuuichiro

  Non-Executive Director – Chair

  Nakajima Yuuichiro is a Japanese national who has spent part of his childhood and half of his adult life in the United Kingdom. Having initially worked for a Japanese ODA execution agency, he changed course to investment banking in the City of London at S.G.Warburg in the 1980s and 1990s. Yuuichiro founded and manages his own M&A advisory boutique called Crimson Phoenix. In addition to his chairmanship of Japan H.L. Limited, he is a Non-Executive Director of Montanaro UK Smaller Companies Investment Trust PLC and a Trustee of ICEED UK.

• Pernille Rudlin

  Non-Executive Director

  Pernille Rudlin was brought up partly in Japan and partly in the UK. She spent nearly a decade at Mitsubishi Corporation, working in the UK and Japan in sales and marketing, corporate planning and HR. More recently she was Director of External Relations, International Business, at Fujitsu. As Europe, Middle East and Africa Representative for Japan Intercultural Consulting, she has conducted seminars on Japanese culture for companies throughout the region. She is the author of several books and articles on Japanese culture and business and was a trustee of the Japan Society of the UK from 2019 to 2025 .

• Tsuchiya Daisuke

  Non-Executive Director

  Tsuchiya Daisuke is the Head of Japan for critical issues advisory firm Brunswick Group advising clients on stakeholder engagement for issues ranging from crisis to M&A, litigation, regulatory matters, and market entry. Prior to joining Brunswick, he had a career spanning over 15 years as a fast-track diplomat in the Japanese Foreign Ministry. He is a Guest Professor of the ESG-Integration Center at the Osaka University, and serves on the Advisory Board of the 30% Club Japan Chapter. Daisuke has a BA in law from the University of Tokyo as well as masters’ degrees from the University of Cambridge and the London School of Economics.

Creative Advisor & Interior Designer

• Hara Kenya

  Creative Advisor

  The global creative direction for the Japan House project is defined by eminent designer Hara Kenya. Notably, he is President of Nippon Design Center, Professor at Tokyo’s Musashino Art University and Art Director of MUJI. In the UK, Hara’s work has been exhibited in London at the Design Museum, the Science Museum and The Wellcome Collection. He has also authored books including ‘Designing Design’ and ‘White’.

  Photo © Sekiguchi Takashi

• Katayama Masamichi

  Interior Designer

  Katayama Masamichi, one of Japan’s leading interior designers, is responsible for the design of Japan House London. He is Professor at Tokyo’s Musashino Art University and founder of interior design firm Wonderwall. The studio is based in Tokyo, but the work that his team have completed spans Europe, the U.S.A., Australia, the Middle East, and the rest of Asia, including the design of UNIQLO’s global flagship store in London.

  Photo © Kurigami Kazumi