Kasumi Shirahata /白幡 香純
FOUNDER & LEAD STRATEGIST
Kasumi is a tri-sector leader and lead strategist dedicated to co-creating inclusive and sustainable societies through the power of arts and adaptive leadership. As the founder of INCANDI, she orchestrates a unique ecosystem of educators, local community leaders, and creative experts to prototype social implementation models that foster resilience and agency.
With a wealth of global experience spanning the public sector (UN, World Bank, Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs), private sector (ESG/Management Consulting), and social enterprises, Kasumi bridges the gap between high-level strategy and grassroots reality. Her approach is deeply informed by her recent completion of the "Leadership and Leading Change" program at Harvard Kennedy School, where she refined her expertise in community organizing and transformational education.
Recognised as an Obama Foundation Asia-Pacific Leader and a Young Leader at the International Conference on Cohesive Societies, Kasumi’s work is centered on "Unlearning"—dismantling biases to unlock the latent potential of individuals and communities. She is also the author of a serialized feature in Courrier Japon, highlighting inclusive leadership across Asia.
Kasumi holds an Msc from University College London (UCL) and a Halal Executive certification from the University of Technology Malaysia. She envisions a future where creativity and cross-sector collaboration build the "Inclusive OS" for more resilient and cohesive societies.
世界銀行、国連、外務省、外資系コンサルティングなど、官・民・ソーシャルを横断し、アジア・中東・アフリカの都市・コミュニティの現場で国際開発と制度設計に携わる。これまで30カ国以上のフィールドを歩み、多様な社会のあり方を観測。
現在はマレーシアを拠点に、都市を実践のフィールドとして捉え、共創型インパクトエージェンシー「INCANDI」を創設・リード。一人ひとりの物語を、社会をアップデートするための実践知へと変換。違いを力に変えながら、誰もが未来を「試作」できる都市とコミュニティのプロトタイプを設計・実装している。
2019年オバマ財団アジア太平洋リーダー選出。
英ロンドン大学UCLバートレット校都市開発修士、米ハーバード・ケネディスクールLeadership Executive Program修了。
【メディア掲載・寄稿】
クーリエ・ジャポン連載:オバマ財団アジア太平洋リーダーの素顔
▶︎ 全ての連載記事・寄稿をみる(Courrier Japon)
【エッセイ・コラム】
What Makes a City Move from Livable to Lovable? – The Kaleidoscope of KL’s Living History(英語記事:クアラルンプールの都市と多様性の考察 マレーシア国立博物館公式ブログ掲載)
Our Strategic Network
Bridging global expertise with grassroots lived experience
Refugee, Migrant, & Indigenous Leaders who serve as mentors and instructors. They bring unmatched lived expertise in crisis resilience, community building, and cultural heritage.
To ensure the safety and dignity of our grassroots partners, specific names and faces are kept confidential while remaining integral to our mission.
Experts in Performing Arts, Design Thinking, and Media who facilitate deep unlearning and creative expression. They translate complex social insights into somatic and experimental learning experiences.
Focusing on non-verbal engagement to unlock creativity and foster empathy across diverse backgrounds.
A network of alumni from the Obama Foundation and Harvard Kennedy School, ensuring that our programs meet the highest international standards of leadership and social innovation.
Bridging high-level cross-sector strategies with grassroots implementation to prototype scalable social impact.
© 2026 INCANDI | From individual stories to collective futures.