Naoko ISHII

Dr. Naoko Ishii has joined University of Tokyo on August 1st 2020 as professor, executive vice president, and inaugurating Director for Center for Global Commons, whose mission is to catalyze systems change so that human can achieve sustainable development within planetary boundaries. The Center aims at playing a much more active role in mobilizing movements of multi-stakeholders towards a shared goal of nurturing stewardship of Global Commons. Prior to joining the university, she served the GEF (Global Environment Facility) as CEO and Chairperson from 2012 to 2020. She formed GEF’s first mid-term strategy, GEF 2020, with strong focus on transformation of key economic systems. She entered Ministry of Finance, Japan, in 1981 and served as Deputy Vice Minister of Finance, Japan for 2010-2012. She also worked at the IMF and the World Bank.

She obtained BA in economics and Ph. D in international studies, both from the University of Tokyo.