ABOUT US

Nobuaki Takahashi, Ph.D.

Chief Executive Officer

Takahashi joined FREST as CEO in August 2022 and leads all aspects of management and R&D. Previously, he worked in Kyowa Kirin where he held various important positions such as the head of RNA business group since 2019, and the head of antibody research group since 2012. He spent a few years working at Gemini Science, Kyowa Kirin's overseas R&D subsidiary since 1998. He also served as CTO of a biotech. He holds PhD in Science from Osaka University

Masatora Fukuda

Associate Professor Fukuoka University, Faculty of Science

Founder, Scientific Advisor

Fukuda has been engaged in RNA editing research over a decade and he is one of leading scientists in this field, with many collaborations with pharmaceutical companies. He founded FREST in 2020 based on his research outcomes. He joined Faculty of Science at Fukuoka University since 2010 after serving Kyoto University as a researcher and assistant professor. He holds a BS in Physics from Kwansei Gakuin University and a MS, PhD in Energy Science from Kyoto University.

Manabu Nakamura

Outside Director

He has extensive experience in private equity and venture capital investment. Prior to founding Shinsei Capital Partners in 2018, he served as Managing Director at Shinsei Corporate　Investment starting in 2012, after working in the Pre-IPO investment team at Shinsei Bank since 2004. He began his career at The Long-Term Credit Bank of Japan in 1991 and was assigned to NED, a venture capital firm affiliated with the bank, in 1994. He was appointed as an Outside Director of FREST, Inc. in 2025. He holds a BA in Economics from Kyoto University and MBA from University of Rochester.

Hiroshi Yamamoto

Outside Director

He brings deep expertise in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors throughout Asia. In 2019, he founded Eighty-Eighty Therapeutics and serves as its CEO. Since 2022, he has been Managing Director and Head of Asia at Locust Walk. He joined Eisai in 2004, overseeing marketing in Asia. He later worked at AbbVie, then joined Santen in 2014, where he was Vice President of Santen China. He was appointed as an Outside Director of FREST, Inc. in 2025. He holds a BA in Chemical Engineering from an MBA from NUS.

Toshiharu Ko

Auditor, CPA

He has built a robust career in finance and accounting, with a focus on auditing, advisory, and entrepreneurship. In 2016, he founded Flyheit LLC and became a representative partner, following the launch of his own CPA office in 2014. Earlier, he joined Deloitte in 1999 after becoming a certified public accountant, working in auditing, IPO support, and corporate rehabilitation. He began his career in 1995 at Long-Term Credit Bank. He was appointed as an auditor of FREST, Inc. in 2025. He holds a degree in Economics from Keio University.