Cristina Merino Ishizuka
Founder & CEO
Cristina is an accomplished international business leader with over two decades’ experience working at the intersection of culture, commerce, and diplomacy between Australia and Japan.
Cristina has held leadership roles across corporate, government, and not-for-profit organisations where she led strategic programs to deepen bilateral business ties. She has also managed commercial and customer experience teams delivering official hospitality and travel programs for major global sporting events, including Rugby World Cup 2019 and 2023, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, World Baseball Classic 2023, and the Australian Open.
Earlier in her career, Cristina gained extensive experience in bilateral relations through positions with the Australian Olympic Committee Advisory Team in Tokyo, the Australia-Japan Youth Dialogue, the Australian and New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in Japan, Australia Business Asia, Meat & Livestock Australia, and the Australian Embassy Tokyo.
A recipient of the Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho) Scholarship, Cristina holds a Master of Intercultural Communication from Kyushu University and a Bachelor of International Business from Queensland University of Technology. She is fluent in English, Japanese, and Spanish.