Rika Nakazawa

As Chief of Commercial Innovation at NTT, Rika Nakazawa helps translate frontier technologies into practical applications for industry and society.. Her work spans quantum innovation, photonic computing, digital twins, artificial intelligence and space-enabled intelligence.

Throughout her career, Nakazawa has helped organisations navigate successive waves of technological change. She has led strategy, commercialisation, partnerships and growth initiatives at NVIDIA, Accenture, Capgemini, Sony and high-growth Silicon Valley startups. Today, she examines a critical challenge: how digital infrastructure must evolve for the AI era.

At NTT, Nakazawa works on technologies that could reshape the foundations of the digital economy. She explores how photonics, quantum systems and digital twin computing can improve healthcare, strengthen climate resilience and build smarter cities. Her work connects scientific breakthroughs with practical outcomes.

A recognised voice on technology-powered change, Rika Nakazawa is also a venture investor, board advisor and keynote speaker. She advises organisations across artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, immersive technologies and next-generation computing. Her perspective combines experience from both global enterprises and innovation-led startups.

Nakazawa is also a bestselling author. Her books include Beyond the Black Swan, which explores the relationship between digital innovation and sustainability, and Dear Chairwoman, which shares lessons from women board leaders around the world.

Forbes named her to its 50 Over 50 Women in Innovation list. She has also been recognised among the Top 100 in Emerging Tech by Women of the Future and received consecutive Power 70 and Power 80 honours from CRN. Raised in Japan, Rika Nakazawa studied at Princeton University and speaks Japanese, German and English.