Akira Takabayashi

President

Crestec

Since 2011, Akira Takabayashi has been the president of Crestec, a Japan-based language service provider that employs over 1,500 staff in 12 countries. He started as a sales representative and account manager in Japan then took positions as the managing director of Europe in Amsterdam, the managing director of China, and the senior vice president. Prior to Crestec, Akira was a traditional Japanese doll maker, creating Ichimatsu dolls. From sharing the culture of Japan through doll making to his current role in localization, Akira has always felt it is important to help the world properly understand the culture of Japan. He is also an avid tennis player and has been playing for 40 years.