Mr. Kenny Okutani

Born in Tokyo in 1960, Kenny Okutani graduated from Keio University and began his career with Westin Hotels & Resorts. After working at the Regional Sales Office in Asia, he developed an international career through leadership roles at The Westin Singapore, Hyatt Regency Saipan, and the iconic Plaza Hotel in New York.

Since retiring from hotel operations in 2005, Kenny has been based in New York, where he provides high-level consulting services to hospitality businesses in the United States and Japan. A recognized industry expert, he has been commissioned to write promotional profiles for 35 premier hotels.

Beyond consulting, Kenny is a sought-after media commentator who has appeared on numerous television and radio programs. On TBS's "Chishikikaikyū Kumagus," he was featured as Japan's leading authority on luxury hotels worldwide. In 2011, he visited North Korea to inspect and document its major hotels, offering rare insight into a closed society through a specialized e-book.

A dedicated educator, Kenny frequently lectures at leading institutions, including Rikkyo University, Kumamoto Gakuen University, and Tamagawa University. He is also the author of several books, including "Ten Years at The Plaza, the World's Finest Hotel" (Shogakukan), "Hotel's Commonsense That Changes Your Journey to Foreign Countries" (Diamond Publishing), and "Japan: An Underdeveloped Country for Service" (Ohta Publications).