Kikka Hanazawa

Kikka Hanazawa is an internationally recognized social entrepreneur and nonprofit leader focused on social impact, women’s entrepreneurship, and sustainability in the fashion world. Ms.Hanazawa’s passion aligns with businesses and projects that make a positive difference to society. She is also the co-Founder/CEO of Yabbey, a digital fashion library and marketplace and a co-founder of Fashion Girls for Humanity, an award-winning nonprofit organization. Previously she was the CEO of VPL, a U.S. based fashion brand and a Certified B Corporation. Prior to VPL and her social entrepreneurship, she played a senior leadership role at Theory, managing its strategic development, M&A activities and IPO and was the CEO at Cygne International, where she led a management buyout of the international business which shestarted. Hanazawa began her career at Itochu Corporation and worked at the New York office where she was one of the youngest female executives in the company.

She has served on numerous nonprofit organizations as a board member and advisor, including New York Public Library for Performing Arts Executive Director’s Council, Council of Fashion Designers of America’s Finance Committee, Asia Society’s Japanese Art Committee, New York Economic Development Corporation’s Incubator Fund, Swarovski Foundation’s One x One Initiative in partnership with the United Nations.

Born and raised in Tokyo, Ms. Hanazawa graduated magna cum laude from Columbia University’s School of General Studies in Art History in 2000 and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School. At Columbia, Ms. Hanazawa has served on the School of General Studies Board of Visitors and was the speaker at the 2019 Scholarship Dinner.