Phronesis Partners Co., Ltd.

Team

Tomoya Shiraishi (Representative Director, Partner CEO/CIO)

Tomoya is a private equity veteran started his career in 1980’s. Based on “Growth Investment Approach” that aim to realize potential of investee companies to achieve sustainable growth, he has broad investment track records in Japan, the US and Asian countries.
After served as CIO of buyout investment division at JAFCO, he was the head of Japan office, Permira until 2009. He dedicated himself to support regional businesses after Great East Japan Earthquake and he established Social Investment Partners (SIP), the first full-scale venture philanthropy organization in Japan in 2012 to support social businesses. In 2014, he became Co-CEO, Phronesis Partners to focus small-cap companies in Japan to achieve sustainable growth. A bachelor of law, Hitotsubashi University in 1986.

Takahisa Koitabashi (Representative Director, Partner COO)

Mr. Koitabashi started his carrier at Yamaichi Securities where he engaged cooperate finance advisory to financial institutions and industrial business. He then joined Recof in 1995 and worked for M&A advisory service. After leaving Recof, he joined General Electric Corporation, Corporate Financial Services, and gained expertise in corporate rehabilitation. Since 2007, he served as the deputy head of I-Sigma corporate rehabilitation Fund 1 at I-Sigma Capital, and also gained management experience of portfolio companies. In 2013, he set up Phronesis Partners to manage buyout funds to achieve long-term increase in the value of investments through growth of portfolio companies.
B.A in Economics at Keio University (1987), M.B.A at University of Virginia, Colgate Darden School of Business (1993)

Yoko Sugita (Partner)

Ms. Sugita started her carrier as an auditor at Azusa & Co. (formerly known as Asahi&Co.), a KPMG affiliated firm in 1999. After spending 4 years at Azusa, she moved to the US and joined BDO Seidman LLP, where she led various financial audit engagements and consultation including M&A related due diligence. Then she joined Advantage Partners as an investment professional in 2009. She worked at Advantage's Tokyo and Hong Kong office and managed various stages of investments such as deal sourcing, deal execution, operational and financial improvement of portfolio companies, additional acquisitions and exits. After leaving Advantage, she joined Phronesis Partners in 2015.
She earned her BA degree in Economics from Keio University and holds CPA credentials in the US and Japan.

Tetsuya Iwata (Vice President)

Having worked in a major system integrator, Mr. Iwata started his career as a consultant of Ernst & Young Transaction Advisory Services in 2012. He engaged in business revitalization support such as business analysis, business plan development and monitoring. He joined Phronesis Partners in October 2017. Master of Engineering in Materials Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 2007.

Akihiko Yoneda (Advisor)

15 years experience in M&A and related investment activities. Comprehensively covered deal-sourcing, due diligence, valuation, business restructuring, post acquisition management, and exit. Joined Phronesis Partners in June, 2015 and became advisor of Phronesis Partners in July, 2017.

Neo Morohashi, Ph.D. (Advisor)

Co-Founder and Partner, INGENI Consulting

Dr. Morohashi is a Co-Founder and Partner for Ingeni Consulting. Prior to Ingeni Consulting, he was with AlixPartners, a global turnaround advisory firm, and PwC’s PRTM Management Consultants, a global strategy and operation management firm. He blended eminently profound knowledge on management consulting expertise, over 10 years, to lead many client teams on strategy development, change management or organizational transformation. He has joined Phronesis Partners as advisor since Feb 2015.
Dr. Morohashi is Associate Professor at Business Breakthrough University. He received B.E. in Electrical Engineering, M.E. in Computer Science, and Ph.D. in Computational Biology from Keio University, Japan.

Yoshie Koda (Advisor)

15+years of experience in credit analysis at major US financial institutions. Spearheaded numerous asset valuations of Japanese companies’ acquisition as country credit officer. Acquired lending and alternative investment experience as an institutional investor and later worked as a private-equity gate keeper of an investment advisory firm.
B.A in Sociology at Saint Paul (Rikkyo) University(1983)