Naoki Nagai | Advisor

Naoki Nagai serves as an Advisor to PICHTR, focusing on energy innovation, climate resilience, and governmental initiatives across the Asia-Pacific. In this capacity, he manages the Kibou for Maui Leadership Program in collaboration with the US-Japan Council, leads collaborative projects in Hawai‘i with major Japanese infrastructure companies, and serves as the Japan liaison for the J-StarX program—connecting entrepreneurs with global opportunities through training at PICHTR.

Alongside his work with PICHTR, Mr. Nagai founded—and continues to lead—Quintessence LLC, a consulting firm specializing in capital markets and strategic advisory services. After moving to Hawai‘i in 2014 to raise his family, he developed advanced investment algorithms adopted by asset management firms. He also manages TRADINA Corp., a Tokyo-based company dedicated to cross-cultural business communications and trade facilitation services.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Nagai was a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, advising global clients on strategic and organizational transformations, with a focus on semiconductors, M&A, and banking. He was also involved in multiple startup ventures, including one he founded that specialized in VoIP transcription systems. Born and raised in Japan, Mr. Nagai attended UWC Atlantic in the UK and earned a bachelor’s degree in Applied Mathematics from Harvard University. He has served as an Adjunct Researcher at Waseda University’s Marketing and Sustainability International Institute since 2024 and is an active member of the US-Japan Council.