Iwao, Shumpei

Dr. Shumpei Iwao is an Associate Professor at Keio University’s Faculty of Business and Commerce, a recognized authority in management studies, and an accomplished business executive. Holding a Ph.D. in Management from the University of Tokyo, his research investigates the drivers of innovation across diverse domains, including business models, production processes, and product design. By integrating a multi-methodological approach—encompassing theoretical research, case studies, statistical empirical analysis, computational experiments, and mathematical optimization—he explores the mechanisms that facilitate innovation and envisions the future of organizational management. Before assuming his current role at Keio University in 2022, Dr. Iwao served as an Assistant Professor at Meiji Gakuin University, a Visiting Researcher at the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, and an Assistant Professor at Keio University. His scholarly excellence has been recognized with numerous prestigious honors, including the 73rd Gijuku Prize, the Takamiya Award from the Academic Association for Organizational Science (in both the Book and Article categories), the Japan Society for Production Management (JSPM) Award for Theoretical Literature, and the 4th Hyogensha Award. Beyond academia, he is a widely recognized bestselling author, with his publications consistently exceeding 150,000 copies sold per title. Distinctively, Dr. Iwao bridges the gap between high-level academic theory and real-world executive practice. As a business leader, he played a pivotal role as a Director and shareholder in guiding Dream Arts Corporation (TSE Growth: 4811) to a successful IPO. Subsequently, as Representative Director and CEO of THE WHY HOW DO COMPANY, Inc. (TSE Standard: 3823), he orchestrated a major corporate turnaround, remarkably increasing the company's market capitalization tenfold within just six months. Currently, as of March 2026, he leads Tri-Is Inc. (TSE Standard: 4840) as Representative Director, CEO, and a major shareholder (6% stake), continuing his mission to redefine modern organizational management through both rigorous research and bold leadership.

My past research has investigated the drivers of innovation across diverse domains, including business models, production processes, and product design. To understand what facilitates such innovation, I have employed a comprehensive, multi-methodological approach that integrates theoretical research, case studies, statistical empirical analysis, computational experiments, and mathematical optimization. Building upon and refining these methodologies, my current work explores the future of organizations and management.