role: Associates

Formerly an international businesses consultant and a Defense Official, Ms. Ayano Ito is a government relations expert with extensive experiences of facilitating Japanese and international industry and government stakeholders across business sectors. Currently as Director of Military Programs and Government Relations for Pratt & Whitney Japan, Ms. Ito’s expertise includes government relations, policy and regulatory analysis, defense program management and political advocacy.

After years of experience in international business consultation and M&A, she served the Japan Ministry of Defense where her specialities included policies and procurement selections of various aircraft programs at the Ministry’s Internal Bureau and Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency. In-depth knowledge in industrial security for highly sensitive and classified programs adds to her unique skillsets. In pursuit of gaining a broader range of experiences in the US private sector, she resigned the Government of Japan and joined Pratt & Whitney in 2017. Since joining Pratt & Whitney, F135 (F-35), F100 (F-15) and PW4062 (KC46A) Programs comprise her portfolio.

Ms. Ito has led the regulatory efforts for F100 Global Transfer Project, realizing one of the first business models in Japan’s defense history which enable Japanese defense suppliers to enter global defense markets. In collaborative efforts with Pratt & Whitney Canada she also serves as a government relations advisor on Japan’s UH-2 Program. From programmatic management to advocacy efforts, Ms. Ito is a committed professional to Japan’s national defense landscape.

Giorgi Mamisashvili, having attained a Bachelor’s degree in Law, presently navigates a unique academic trajectory, concurrently pursuing dual Master’s degrees across distinguished institutions. Within the sphere of international law, Giorgi is diligently formulating a thesis elucidating the intricacies of international humanitarian law at Tbilisi State University. Simultaneously, in the discipline of international relations, Giorgi rigorously scrutinizes the development of the Japanese New National Security Strategy and Defense Policy for the second thesis at Tallinn University, having previously completed an exchange program at Akita International University in Japan. This interdisciplinary approach attests to Giorgi’s commitment to scholarly excellence in both fields.

Giorgi’s specific academic proclivities gravitate toward the nuanced realms of defense, arms control, and disarmament. Giorgi exhibits a pronounced scholarly focus on discerning the intricate intersections between emergent technologies, notably artificial intelligence and nuclear arms control. Giorgi’s scholarly pursuits extend to the broader domain of security studies, manifesting a nuanced and comprehensive approach to grappling with the multifaceted challenges inherent in contemporary global security dynamics.