Kei Shibata

Travel & technology entrepreneur based in Singapore and Tokyo with 20+ years of experience. He led his company to an IPO, a MBO, two exits and one acquisition. As a founding CEO, Kei is running Venture Republic that owns a group of online travel businesses across Asia and the rest of world, including “Trip101”, Singapore based global online travel guide media that primarily curates world’s best short-term rentals & accommodations, "TRAVEL.jp", Japan’s largest travel metasearch & travel guide media, and “TRAVEL jp for Business”, a chat based corporate travel management service in Japan. In 2008, he took the company public in Japan (2177. JASDAQ) after 7 years in operation. In 2018, company made a strategic partnership with LINE Corporation, one of the leading messaging apps in Asia. He received the "WiT Hall of Fame" award in 2019 which honors individuals who have had the greatest influence on the progress and professionalism of the digital travel industry in Asia Pacific. Angel investor in the travel & technology space. Serving as a board of director for various startups including BeMyGuest, Singapore. As a co-founder/organizer, he also runs WiT Japan & North Asia, a leading international conference in North Asia focusing on technology & travel industry. Harvard MBA. Chairman of Keio University's alumni association for startup founders/CEOs. Avid Nordic cross country & alpine skier/snowboarder. Love jazz, coffee and working from vacation homes.