Academy CEO Bill Kramer to Head to Tokyo for Leadership Award and Onstage Summit With Toho Boss Matsuoka Hiro

Academy CEO Bill Kramer is set to make his first trip to Asia later this month. He will collect a leadership award at the Tokyo International Film Festival and also sit down with Toho president and CEO Matsuoka Hiro for a public conversation.

The festival’s 39th edition runs Oct. 26–Nov. 4 and has built a program titled Academy in Tokyo around the visit. Two colleagues will join Kramer in the Japanese capital: Academy president Lynette Howell Taylor and Meredith Shea, the organization’s chief membership, impact and industry officer.

The three executives will share a stage on Oct. 28 at Tokyo Midtown Hibiya Hall for a 90-minute panel moderated by TIFF festival director Hisamatsu Takeo. They will take the audience behind the curtain of the Oscars and outline the Academy’s international initiatives and membership programs. The conversation will also turn to how the organization views international cinema today and where it is heading.

Once the panel wraps, Kramer will receive TIFF’s Global Cinema Leadership Special Award. The festival said the honor recognizes his contribution to the growth of the worldwide film business and to film culture. Later that day, the Academy will hold a private reception for its members from across the globe.

Kramer returns to the same venue on Oct. 29 to sit down with Matsuoka. Their session will look at the state of the global film landscape and the outlook for theatrical and streaming distribution, along with ways to deepen cross-border partnerships. Both public events are free, though advance reservations are required. Booking details have yet to be released.

Kramer took the Academy’s top job in 2022. Before that, he ran the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures as its director and president. The museum opened its doors in September 2021. As CEO, Kramer has pushed to broaden the Academy’s 11,000-strong membership and give it a more international makeup. He runs the organization’s global operations, from the Oscars and the Academy Foundation to the $500 million Academy100 campaign.

Howell Taylor is in her second term as president. She is an Oscar-nominated producer whose credits include “A Star Is Born,” “The Accountant,” “Captain Fantastic” and “Blue Valentine.” She joined the Academy’s Producers Branch in 2014. She also co-produced the 92nd Oscars telecast in 2020, which earned her an Emmy nomination.

Shea is the first person to hold her post. Her remit covers membership, awards administration and talent development. It also includes the Academy’s outreach to film festivals and international territories.

Matsuoka has steered Toho’s expansion overseas, including its acquisitions of Gkids and Anime Limited. He also oversaw the production of Oscar winner “Godzilla Minus One.” In 2025, Toho posted its best-ever results at the Japanese box office. Matsuoka also sits on the board of trustees of the Academy Museum.

TIFFCOM, the content market that runs alongside the festival, takes place Oct. 28–30.