Saori Imaizumi

Saori Imaizumi has a diverse work experience spanning various industries and roles. Saori currently holds the position of Corporate Strategy Manager at The Pokémon Company International. Prior to this, Saori worked at The World Bank for a significant period of time, starting as an Education Specialist and later progressing to the role of Senior ICT innovation and Education Consultant. Their work at The World Bank involved leading and contributing to various multi-million dollar lending projects focused on improving access, quality, equity, and relevance of education in sub-Saharan Africa. Saori also introduced project-based learning using ICT in secondary schools in Ethiopia and played a key role in building an innovation ecosystem with universities and industries in Bangladesh.

Before joining The World Bank, Saori worked as an Education Consultant, advising governments and conducting research in India and Pakistan. Their areas of expertise included engineering education policy, ICT in teacher education, public-private partnerships in education, skills development, and gender issues. Saori also gained experience as a Researcher at Japan Innovation Network and as a Consultant at both the Inter American Development Bank and UNDP.

Saori's early career includes a role as a Consultant at Accenture, where they worked on strategic IT outsourcing projects for Fortune 500 companies. Saori was also selected for the Accenture Development Partnership program, where they conducted non-profit consulting for an international NGO. Additionally, they had an internship at the Women's Foreign Policy Group, organizing events related to foreign policy, international relations, and women leadership.

In 2017, Saori participated in the StartingBloc Fellowship program in Washington, DC. Their extensive work experience showcases their expertise in areas such as education, ICT, innovation ecosystems, research, and consulting.

Saori Imaizumi pursued their education at Wesleyan University from 2000 to 2004, where they obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Comparative Politics and International Relations. Later, from 2008 to 2010, they attended The Fletcher School at Tufts University and completed a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy (MALD), specializing in Development Economics and International Business Relations.