Indo Pacific Forum

Driving Cooperation in Areas of Critical Importance

Building a trusted network of corporate executives and government leaders to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific through connectivity, security, resilience, and prosperity.

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50%
Of World Population
60%
Of Global GDP
2/3
Of Global Growth
40%
Of EU Trade via South China Sea
About the IPF

An Independent Platform for Indo-Pacific Leadership

The Indo Pacific Forum is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization dedicated to building a powerful network of business and government leaders who advance shared economic and geopolitical interests across the Indo-Pacific.

Founded in February 2022 by Dr. Kenneth R. Weinstein, former U.S. Ambassador-designate to Japan, and the late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the IPF carries forward the vision of a "Free and Open Indo-Pacific" first introduced in 2016.

The IPF does not seek publicity: its legacy will be in the projects spawned through its events and the business connectivity it nurtures.

Dr. Kenneth R. Weinstein with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
Our Mission

Enhancing Cooperation Across the Indo-Pacific

The IPF aims to enhance private and public sector cooperation and connectivity by engaging and mobilizing global leaders to collaborate on strategy, construct partnerships, and shape inclusive, sustainable policies for the security, resilience, and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region.

New partnerships are being assessed and forged after years of overreliance on established relationships. Economic opportunities are increasing as geopolitical shifts enhance the need to reimagine defense and security infrastructure, supply chains, AI capabilities, and sustainability.

IPF panel discussion
Connectivity Reimagined

How the IPF Works

The IPF reimagined the traditional forum: curating small, intimate settings with decision makers across industries and geographies, focusing on timely challenges for transformational, actionable opportunities.

01

Intimate Gatherings

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner meetings with senior decision makers in private settings

02

Symposiums & Roundtables

Engaging panels on geopolitics, AI, cybersecurity, and supply chain resiliency

03

Policy Briefings

Timely insights and expert analysis on geopolitical developments and strategic opportunities

04

Bilateral Meetings

Direct access to counterparts and real-time expert insights at every event

IPF gathering IPF formal dinner IPF networking
What We Do

Creating Value Through Connectivity

The IPF brings together global corporate executives and top-government officials for impactful connectivity to advance shared interests and drive real-world outcomes.

Connectivity

Facilitating New Relationships

Creating deeper connectivity and cooperation amongst private sector and government leaders confronting shared challenges in the Indo-Pacific.

Opportunities

Opening Doors

Opening doors to new actionable opportunities, catalyzing multilateral partnerships, alliances, and investments across the region.

Insights

Delivering Strategic Intelligence

Delivering timely insights and advancing innovative strategies to protect shared economic and geopolitical interests.

Dialogue

Generating Ongoing Dialogue

Enhancing economic resilience and security through sustained high-level dialogue and policy collaboration.

Education

Enhancing Global Understanding

Educating global leaders on the strategic importance of promoting a Free and Open Indo-Pacific for future generations.

Visibility

Strengthening Regional Presence

Strengthening visibility and credibility in the region for key stakeholders, partners, and institutions.

Leadership
Dr. Kenneth R. Weinstein

Founding Chair and CEO of the Indo-Pacific Forum, which he co-founded in 2022 with the late Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe. Previously CEO of Hudson Institute for fifteen years, and nominated U.S. Ambassador to Japan in 2020.

Dr. Kenneth R. Weinstein
Founding Chair & CEO, Indo Pacific Forum

Kenneth R. Weinstein is the Founding Chair and CEO of the Indo-Pacific Forum (IPF), a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting connectivity, resilience, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, which he co-founded in 2022 with the late Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe. Prior to founding the IPF, Dr. Weinstein served for fifteen years as CEO of Hudson Institute, the world renowned think tank dedicated to promoting U.S. international leadership and global engagement.

Weinstein led Hudson through a transformative period of growth, with the Institute making signature policy contributions towards ensuring global security. Weinstein has built a broad and deep global network of trust among key government and corporate stakeholders, advising top policymakers and business leaders in capitals around the globe, most notably in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

Weinstein has served by presidential appointment on federal commissions under four different U.S. presidents, including on the Advisory Committee on Trade Policy and Negotiations, the senior-most advisory board to the United States Trade Representative. Previously, he chaired the U.S. Agency for Global Media as well as its affiliate boards, Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Asia, and the Middle East Broadcasting Network.

Weinstein, who speaks fluent French and German, holds a Ph.D. in Government from Harvard University, a post-graduate degree (D.E.A) in Soviet Studies from Sciences Po, and a B.A. in the Humanities from the University of Chicago. He was decorated as a Chevalier dans l'Ordre des arts et des lettres by the French Ministry of Culture and was awarded the Foreign Minister's Commendation from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In 2020, he was nominated to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Japan, receiving unanimous bipartisan support from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Joseph P. Schmelzeis, Jr.

Joseph P. Schmelzeis, Jr.

Co-founder & CSO, Japan

Senior Advisor to the U.S. Ambassador in Tokyo from 2018 to 2021. External director at DENSO, Central Japan Railway, Hitachi Construction Machinery and Toshiba.

Joseph Schmelzeis is a US citizen residing in Japan for 40 of the last 50 years.

From 2018-2021 Mr. Schmelzeis served as Senior Advisor to the Ambassador in the US Embassy in Tokyo where he focused on driving initiatives combining strengths of the public and private sectors in likeminded nations to advance the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

He currently serves as the Country Manager for the Cedarfield Group in Japan and is an external director on the boards of four publicly traded Japanese corporations (DENSO, Central Japan Railway, Hitachi Construction Machinery and Toshiba). He also serves as Vice Chairman of the International High-speed Rail Association (IHRA).

Prior to his position in the Embassy, his career included consulting with Bain & Company in the US and Japan, sales and marketing with American Express covering the Asia-Pacific region, software development and marketing in Japan, venture incubation in China, hedge fund management and real estate acquisition in Japan, and management and overseas expansion of theme parks on behalf of SEGA Corporation where he served as a Division Manager and Corporate Director, overseeing a team of 600 colleagues in Japan, China, and Dubai.

Mr. Schmelzeis received his B.A. in Economics and East Asian Studies summa cum laude from Yale University in 1984 and his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School in 1988. He graduated from the American School in Japan in 1980. He is professionally fluent in spoken and written Japanese and proficient in Mandarin Chinese.

Ulf Gartzke

Ulf Gartzke

Co-founder & CSO, Europe

Managing Partner of Spitzberg Partners and former CEO of Brainloop AG. Associate Fellow of the IISS and Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Ulf Gartzke is a Co-Founder and Director of the Indo-Pacific Forum (IPF), a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting connectivity, resilience, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and strengthening cooperation between Europe, North America, and the region.

Previously, Ulf Gartzke served as CEO of Brainloop AG from 2019 to 2022 and again from 2024 to 2025. Brainloop is a leading European SaaS provider of secure digital collaboration solutions for supervisory and management boards and is part of Diligent Corporation.

He is Managing Partner of Spitzberg Partners, the transatlantic advisory firm he co-founded with former German Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg. Earlier in his career, he directed the Washington office of the Hanns Seidel Foundation, worked at the World Economic Forum in Geneva, and taught at Georgetown University.

Ulf Gartzke serves as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Brainloop AG, a Member of the Supervisory Board of BOSQAR Invest, and Chairman of the Advisory Board of Relution. He is a Founding Board Member of ELNET Germany, an Associate Fellow of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), a Distinguished Non-Resident Fellow at the Center for China Studies at National Taiwan University, and a Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

He holds advanced degrees from Georgetown University and Sciences Po Paris and earned his Ph.D. from the London School of Economics and Political Science. A dual German-American citizen, he is fluent in German, English, French, Spanish, and Italian.

Matt Turpin

Matt Turpin

Co-founder & CSO, Defense & National Security

Member of the board of the Indo-Pacific Institute.

Marc Reverdin

Marc Reverdin

CSO, Technology & Innovation

Founder of Reverdin Consulting. Co-created the Paris Peace Forum in 2018, after a career in French diplomacy.

After a career in French diplomacy, Marc Reverdin co-created the Paris Peace Forum in 2018 and then joined the strategic communications firm Brunswick Group in London.

Secretary General of the France-Pacific Territories Economic Cooperation Committee since 2021, he is also a Research Associate at the European and International Law Laboratory at the Université de Côte d'Azur.

In 2024, he set up a consultancy dedicated to global public affairs and international issues.

Eri Hirano

Eri Hirano

Senior Adviser

Senior Associate at CSIS, former Chief of Staff for Asia and Japan Chair. Over 25 years of experience in Indo-Pacific policy and international partnerships. Georgetown University.

Minervina Rubin

Minervina Rubin

Project Manager
IPF Events

High-Level Gatherings for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific

The IPF convenes select groups of corporate leaders and senior government officials across the Indo-Pacific for closed-door discussions on shared challenges, partnerships, and strategic opportunities.

October 2025 — Tokyo

Inaugural Summit Meeting

The first Summit Meeting convened approximately fifty US, Japanese, South Korean and Taiwanese business leaders at NEC headquarters. Discussions focused on geopolitics, AI, cybersecurity, and supply chain resiliency.

NECNTTMitsubishi ElectricMitsubishi Heavy IndustriesSMBCHD HyundaiHanwhaPalantirOracleWistron
March 2026 — Taipei

IPF Summit Taipei

The second Summit Meeting brings together major corporate leaders and tech innovators from the US, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Germany for discussions on co-development and co-production of defense technology.

OraclePalantirGeneral AtomicsAndurilNECNTTWistronRegent GroupHD HyundaiHanwha
Partnership Opportunities

Join a Network That Shapes the Future

IPF membership is the key to connectivity in the Indo-Pacific region. Actionable opportunities emerge with timely and differentiated insights amongst decision makers who influence the world.

Member
Upon request
Two-year commitment
  • Guaranteed access to three events by at least one C-suite
  • Access to IPF network and research
  • IPF Briefing newsletter
Inquire
Recommended
Partner Member
Upon request
Two-year commitment
  • Guaranteed access to six events by at least one C-suite
  • Opportunity to sponsor at least one event
  • Support with bilateral meetings at events
  • Media visibility through opportunity to participate in press availabilities at IPF-hosted events
Inquire
Founding Member
Upon request
Two-year commitment
  • Guaranteed access to all events (6–12 annually) by at least one C-suite
  • Opportunity to sponsor three events
  • Invitation to exclusive Founding Member-only meetings
  • Support with bilateral meetings & media visibility through opportunity to participate in press availabilities at IPF-hosted events
Inquire

The Indo-Pacific Forum, Inc. is a U.S. 501(c)(6) membership organization. Recommended contribution amounts can be a combination of financial gifts and resources including event staffing, venues, accommodations, transportation, and other donations.

We suggest 10% of the contribution be made available to the Indo-Pacific Institute, our 501(c)(3) affiliate, dedicated to educating on the importance of cooperation and connectivity in the Indo-Pacific region.

Please let us know if a more customized partnership opportunity may better suit your organization.

Insights & Updates

Latest from the Forum

IPF Summit Taipei
March 2026

IPF Summit Taipei: Defense Technology and Co-Production

The second Summit Meeting convenes in Taipei for discussions on dual-use technology and defense cooperation.

Summit Tokyo
October 2025

Inaugural Summit Meeting at NEC Headquarters, Tokyo

Fifty leaders from the US, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan gathered for discussions on AI, cybersecurity, and supply chains.

IPF connectivity
Ongoing

IPF Connectivity: Where Connections Become Action

Members forge landmark partnerships, jointly delivering AI and cloud solutions for government and defense sectors worldwide.

Get in Touch

Contact the Indo Pacific Forum

We welcome inquiries from government leaders, corporate executives, and organizations committed to a free and open Indo-Pacific.

info@indopacificforum.org