“This environment taught me the pleasure of creation, cultivated my imagination, and led me into a design career.”
A samurai from Japan, Masa is the son of ceramic tilers who made buildings aesthetically beautiful and prac- tically useful. After earning a an engineering degree at Kyoto Institute of Technology, Masa worked as a user interface designer with engineers, marketers, researchers, and customers. At Samsung, he realized that design has the potential not only to make products beautiful and easy to use, but also to make people proactive in opening up their side of creativity. He led an integrated design project to create a new smartphone design concept. Masa’s long-term goal is to be a creative bridge to improve lives. “I want to start my own consultancy business, introduce the creative culture to my clients, and enhance their organizations through the power of design.” In the IDM program, he is learning how to integrate design with engineering and business—and gaining the knowledge that will empower him to be an innovative leader.