Craig’s first encounter with Japanese culture came during his university years, when he befriended a group of Japanese exchange students. Although he wasn’t studying Japanese formally, this friendship inspired him to visit Japan the following summer — a trip that sparked a lifelong love of the culture, the people, and especially the food.

After graduating, Craig returned to Japan to teach English, spending more than four years fully immersing himself in the language and way of life. He returned to the UK in 2002, eager to continue building connections between the two countries.

Since then, Craig has worked with several Japanese organisations and has been with CHE for 19 years — first as Programme Director and now as General Manager & Company Director. Promoting understanding of Japanese culture in the UK is central to his work, and he has helped lead numerous initiatives that strengthen ties between the UK and Japan.

“Living overseas taught me that there’s a vast world to explore beyond the place you call home. Ideally, we should all spend part of our lives in another country — it teaches us to appreciate different cultures, to understand ourselves better, and to see how our own country is viewed internationally.”

“Watching young people from opposite sides of the world laugh together and become friends is one of the greatest rewards of my work. It motivates me to keep breaking down cultural barriers.”