SmartNews Executive and Leadership Team

Kaisei Hamamoto, the Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer at SmartNews, directs the overarching corporate strategy and global vision. By prioritizing the integration of machine learning technology, the Chief Executive Officer ensures the platform delivers high-quality news content to a massive international user base. Kaisei Hamamoto maintains strong relationships with over 3,000 global publisher partners to sustain the company's competitive market position. This leadership role involves constant collaboration with the Board to align product development with long-term growth objectives. Overseeing the expansion of the news-discovery ecosystem, the Chief Executive Officer drives operational excellence across all regional markets. Through rigorous focus on user engagement and information integrity, the Chief Executive Officer secures the company's status as a leader in the media industry. This strategic direction fosters innovation while maintaining the core mission of providing news that matters to millions of people worldwide.

Jin Akiyama, the Chief Financial Officer at SmartNews, manages the financial health and capital allocation strategies of the organization. By overseeing fiscal planning and budgeting, the Chief Financial Officer ensures the company maintains the resources necessary to support global expansion and technological investment. Jin Akiyama monitors revenue streams from diverse market segments to provide actionable insights for the executive team. This leadership role involves rigorous financial analysis to support strategic decision-making regarding publisher partnerships and infrastructure development. By maintaining strict financial discipline, the Chief Financial Officer secures the company's long-term stability and growth potential. Jin Akiyama coordinates with the Board to report on financial performance and future projections. Through the management of capital resources, the Chief Financial Officer enables the company to fulfill its mission of delivering quality news to millions of users while maintaining a sustainable and profitable business model.

Yi Ren, the Chief Operating Officer at SmartNews, manages the daily execution of business operations and internal scaling initiatives. By optimizing workflows across departments, the Chief Operating Officer ensures the company meets its aggressive growth targets while maintaining high standards for news delivery. Yi Ren coordinates with cross-functional teams to streamline the integration of machine learning tools into the user experience. This leadership role requires constant monitoring of operational efficiency to support the company's global footprint. By refining internal processes, the Chief Operating Officer directly impacts the scalability of the news-discovery platform. Yi Ren facilitates communication between technical and commercial units to ensure alignment with corporate goals. Through the implementation of robust operational frameworks, the Chief Operating Officer supports the company's mission to provide quality information to users everywhere. This focus on operational stability allows the organization to adapt quickly to changing market demands.

Yoichi Tagaya, the Group Head of Chief Operating Officer Office at SmartNews, directs the administrative and strategic support functions that enable the Chief Operating Officer to function effectively. By managing the internal office operations, the Group Head of Chief Operating Officer Office ensures that executive priorities receive the necessary resources and attention. Yoichi Tagaya facilitates communication across the leadership team to ensure that operational initiatives remain aligned with the company's broader mission. This leadership role involves coordinating complex projects that span multiple departments, including engineering and business development. By streamlining the flow of information, the Group Head of Chief Operating Officer Office enhances the overall agility of the organization. Yoichi Tagaya supports the implementation of corporate policies that drive efficiency and foster a culture of excellence. Through this dedicated focus on organizational management, the Group Head of Chief Operating Officer Office contributes to the successful delivery of quality news to a global audience.

Haishan Liu, the Chief Technology Officer at SmartNews, architects the proprietary machine learning infrastructure that powers the news-discovery engine. By leading the engineering teams, the Chief Technology Officer ensures the platform remains at the forefront of algorithmic innovation. Haishan Liu oversees the development of scalable systems capable of processing vast amounts of data from thousands of global publisher partners. This leadership role involves close collaboration with product teams to enhance the accuracy and relevance of news delivered to millions of users. By prioritizing technical excellence, the Chief Technology Officer drives the continuous improvement of the core discovery technology. Haishan Liu manages the technical roadmap to support long-term product evolution and system reliability. Through the application of advanced data science, the Chief Technology Officer secures the company's technological advantage in the competitive media landscape, ensuring that users receive high-quality information efficiently and reliably.