akefield (Global Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois; Japan Headquarters: Nagatacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo), a leading global real estate services firm, has announced that Saeka Kuno has been appointed as Head of Sustainability, Japan. Saeka will join Cushman & Wakefield's Asia Pacific Sustainability Practice Group, a team of over 90 professionals dedicated to providing sustainability services to clients in the Japanese market.
Todd Olson, Country Head of Japan at Cushman & Wakefield, said, "We are very pleased that Saeka has joined our firm to drive forward our commitment to sustainability, which is recognised as one of the top priorities for many clients in the commercial real estate sector. I am confident that Saeka’s passion for sustainability, combined with the expertise of our team of real estate professionals, will help our clients on their journey to Net Zero."
Prior to joining Cushman & Wakefield, Saeka worked as a Sustainability and Energy Consultant at Longevity Partners, where she advised real estate investment companies on sustainability initiatives for individual properties and entire portfolios. Her expertise includes real estate decarbonisation, ESG advisory, sustainable due diligence, energy audits during property transactions, climate change physical risk assessments, green building certification, carbon market analysis, and GRESB assessment support.
Saeka has also served as a council member of Global Environment Fund (GEF) for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and was the lead negotiator for the Japanese contingent at an international convention on plastic pollution. She has also worked with the European branches of both Mizuho Bank and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, where she was involved in office planning and corporate sales.
Saeka holds an M.A. in Environmental Economics and Energy Policy from University College London, U.K., and a degree related to sustainable development studies from the Faculty of Humanities, Hokkaido University. She is also qualified as a securities broker and a Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficiency (CASBEE) assessor for existing buildings.
