Akiko Ikeda

Akiko Ikeda is a dynamic and bilingual Program Manager with over 8 years of entrepreneurial experience, proficient in Japanese and English, and dedicated to fostering collaboration across global teams.

Her advocacy for inclusion and diversity is evident through her role as an active Twitter Asians JAPAC Regional Lead, where she drives initiatives to empower underrepresented communities and promote allyship practices.

With a background as a journalist at Nikkei, a prominent Japanese Financial Newspaper, she brings a wealth of experience in conducting interviews with industry leaders and politicians, and reporting for daily newspapers.

Akiko's entrepreneurial spirit led her to co-found 'bRainbow' in 2010, a venture that reached the finals of the Etsy Design Award in 2015. Her brand received recognition in various media outlets such as Uppercase Magazine, Sydney Morning Herald, and Glamour Paris, with products stocked in retail stores in Australia and prestigious museums globally.

Academically, Akiko pursued a Master of Professional Communication in Communication and Media Studies at the University of Sydney, and completed the Core Essentials Fast Track program in Coaching at Coach U, Inc.

Currently, Akiko serves as the Program Manager for APAC Curation at Twitter and has held leadership roles within the organization, including Twitter Asians JAPAC Regional Lead. She has also been involved in freelance work as a #IamRemarkable facilitator and co-founded 'Mycuppatea' as well as 'bRainbow'. Her diverse work history includes positions as a Marketing & PR Specialist at Ricky Richards, Social Media Marketing Manager at Yoshi Jones, and various roles at Twitter.