MINAKO NAITO is the General Producer of Performing Arts at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre and an adjunct instructor at Gakushuin University, Tokyo.

With a career in theatre spanning several decades, Minako has overseen the planning and production of theatrical, dance, and musical performances. Starting her career in 1985 at Parco Theater, Minako then went on to work at Horipo Factory from 1998 before joining the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre in 2010. At the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, Minako has presented visiting companies from overseas, showcased international co-productions, and toured performances abroad.

Minako’s principle works include ‘The Bee, English version’ (written & directed by Hideki Noda) which went on to tour in ten cities worldwide, ‘The Trojan Women’ (directed by Yukio Ninagawa, co-produced by Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre & Cameri Theatre, Tel Aviv), ‘L’honneur de Napoléon’ (written & directed by Koki Mitani), ‘Richard III’(directed by Silviu Purcărete), ‘Love Letters’ (directed by Yoji Aoi), ‘The Fantasticks musical’ (directed by Amon Miyamoto), Tadeusz Kantor & Cricot 2’s ‘Let the Artists Die’ and ‘I Shall Never Return’, the Broadway musical ‘Chicago’, and various performances by the Royal Shakespeare Company.

ANDREA CANCELLATO is the Director of the ADI Design Museum – Compasso d’Oro, in Milan. The museum, which Andrea helped to establish, is dedicated to the circulation and promotion of design culture in Italy and beyond.

In addition to his role at the ADI, Andrea currently holds numerous advisory positions in the cultural sector. In December 2024, Andrea was appointed as a member of the scientific committee at MUSE, the Museo delle Scienze in Trento. Since May 2023, he has been a member of the Scientific Technical Committee for ‘ART FOR 17 SUSTANAIBLE GOALS’, part of PromoTurismoFVG. Since 2022, he has been on the board of directors at Museo Diocesano, Milan and has been a member of the Advisory Committee of Human City Design Award, Seoul. From March 2021, he has served as the Chairman of the Technical Commission for the evaluation of Culture Fund projects at the Institute for Sports Credit.

Throughout his career, Andrea has held prominent positions in both art and design (Italturist, Federculture, Museo Diocesano) and manufacturing (Federlegno, Federtessile, Clac, Material ConneXion Milano). From June 2018 to January 2020, Andrea served as the Director of MEET, the international center for digital culture in Milan, and from 2002 to 2018 he was the General Manager of Triennale Milano. As a respected business consultant and industry leader, Andrea has managed institutional relationships and strategic partnerships on a national and international scale.

HELEN Y. CHEN is Head of Communications & External Affairs at the School of Business and Management (HKUST Business School) at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. As a key member of the senior management team, Helen plays a pivotal role in developing and implementing strategies to enhance the school’s global presence, foster external connectivity, and support its international growth.  

Helen has over 18 years of experience in the financial and higher education sectors. Prior to her role at HKUST Business School, Helen served as the Head of Strategic Development at the Asia Society Hong Kong Center. She has held positions at The Mitsubishi Trust and Banking Corporation in Japan and UBS in Hong Kong, Mainland China, and Japan. She was also the Director of Placement at Hitotsubashi University ICS in Japan and as a Consultant for MBA Career Services at HKUST Business School. Fluent in Chinese (Cantonese, Putonghua, and the Shanghai dialect) and Japanese, Helen brings a multicultural perspective to her work.  

Helen is actively engaged in her community, having served as President (2012–2014) and Senior Advisor (2015–present) of the Columbia University Alumni Association Hong Kong. She has also held leadership roles at the Zonta Club of Victoria, including Honorary Correspondence Secretary (2016–2018), First Vice President (2018–2020), and President (2020–2022). She is also a member of the Communication and Development Committee at the Bai Xian Asia Institute (2016 to present).

PETER LEE is an independent researcher and the Founding Curator of the NUS Baba House, a historical house museum managed by the National University of Singapore.

As well as a researcher, Peter is also a curator, author, and most-recently a presenter. In 2024, Peter co-curated ‘Batik Nyonyas: Three Generations of Art and Entrepreneurship’ at the Peranakan Museum. He has also contributed a chapter to the new iteration of the Cambridge History of Southeast Asia, to be published in 2025. Peter hosted the award-winning Mark of Empire (2020-2023), a documentary series exploring four Southeast Asian empires and the impact they had on the world. Originally broadcast by Channel News Asia, the series has since been uploaded to YouTube and has reached an international audience.

In 2017, Peter was the historical consultant for a Peranakan-themed short film launched at the Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 4. He was the guest curator of ‘Amek Gambar: Peranakans and Photography’, an exhibition held at the Peranakan Museum from 2018 to 2019. In 2016, he co-curated ‘Singapore, Sarong Kebaya and Style’ at the Fukuoka Art Museum and the Shoto Museum in Tokyo. In 2016, he was the guest curator of ‘Port Cities: Multicultural Emporiums of Asia, 1500-1900’ at ACM. Peter contributed significantly to the 2013 exhibition ‘Inherited and Salvaged: Family Portraits from the NUS Museum Straits Chinese Collection’ and an essay he wrote for the exhibition catalogue was published in 2015. In April 2011, he co-curated ‘Sarong Kebaya’at the National Museum of Singapore; a book he wrote on the subject was shortlisted for the Singapore History Prize in 2018. In 2008, he produced ‘Junk to Jewels — The Things that Peranakans Value’. Peter co-authored ‘The Straits Chinese House’ with Jennifer Chen, published by the National Museum of Singapore in 1998 and 2006.

CHUN WOEI CHEE is the Managing Director of Intelleigen Legal LLC, which he founded in 2002. With over twenty-five years’ experience as a lawyer, Chun Woei’s strategic insights and commercial advice are valued by SMEs, MNCs, and government-related entities alike and he is frequently invited to provide mentorship to innovative start-ups. 

Chun Woei has achieved successful results in anti-piracy programs and has set strict IP practices in various countries in the Asia-Pacific. In 1994, as the first regional counsel for the Motion Picture Association (MPA), he restructured anti-piracy operations, leading to increased revenues for members within a year. He has also been a frequent participant in USTR negotiations.

Prior to Intelleigen LLC, Chun Woei served as Vice President and Chairman of the Asian Committee of the Business Software Alliance (BSA) while also working as a software compliance manager at Adobe. Before that, he was the CEO of what is currently known as the Recording Industry Association of Singapore. As CEO, he started and ran a highly successful royalty collection programme for member companies.

Outside of work, Chun Woei is a tech geek with a passion for exploring new applications of technology.