Join DiS co-founder Heather Mak for a frank discussion with the newly retired Michael Kobori, former Chief Sustainability Officer at Starbucks on January 14, 2026 at 9AM PT/12PM ET/5PM GMT. This event will take place on LinkedIn Live! Use this form to reserve a space, receive an invite for your calendar, and pre-ask questions to Michael.

About Michael: 

Michael Kobori has spent his career working to build a more just and sustainable world. He has served as a board director of Bunge Global SA, Chief Sustainability Officer at Starbucks, Vice-President of Sustainability at Levi Strauss & Co., Vice-President at BSR, and in various roles at The Asia Foundation. Currently, he is a strategic advisor to NationSwell, a community of leaders from the corporate, public, and non-profit sectors and an advisor to Gaeastar, a circular economy start-up.

Michael is a member of the U.S.-Japan Council and The Asia Foundation’s President’s Leadership Council. He has served on the USDA’s Cotton Board, UN Better Work Program, the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Better Cotton Initiative, and the Levi Strauss Foundation board. An esteemed speaker at UN forums, the Aspen Institute, and industry conferences, Michael is dedicated to nurturing the next generation. He taught sustainability at the Haas Business School, University of California at Berkeley and has served as a mentor for 50/50 Women on Boards.

Michael received his Masters’ Degree in Public Policy from the University of California at Berkeley, where he also received his undergraduate education in Asian Studies and Psychology. He spent a year at International Christian University in Tokyo and studied sustainable finance at Oxford University.

Michael is married to Sachiko Nagai. They live in Berkeley, California and have two adult daughters, Anne and Ellen. Michael is an enthusiastic chef and enjoys cycling, fishing, gardening, and swimming. He recently completed his PADI open water scuba diving certification.