Sena Vafa smiling in traditional Japanese attire beside a garden

Entrepreneur • Executive Advisor • Author • International Speaker

Turning Ideas into Impact.Connecting Worlds.Advancing Human Potential.

Dr. Omid Sena Vafa is an entrepreneur, executive advisor, author and international speaker with more than 25 years of experience spanning business, government, technology, international trade and cross-border leadership. He advises corporations, investors, institutions and public-sector leaders on market entry, growth strategy, strategic partnerships, M&A opportunities and executive representation.

Drawing on decades of international and cross-cultural experience, Dr. Vafa also brings these perspectives to the stage—speaking on leadership, entrepreneurship, human potential, global affairs and the lessons that connect business with life. Whether advising in the boardroom or addressing an audience, he combines commercial insight, diplomacy and a distinctly human perspective to inform, connect and inspire across cultures.

Discuss an Opportunity Invite Dr. Vafa to Speak
Executive profile25+ years across marketsPeople · Partnerships · Opportunities
JapanAustraliaEast AsiaAsia-PacificMiddle East

About Dr. Vafa

Commercial instinct.
Intellectual depth.

Dr. Omid Sena Vafa in a burgundy velvet jacket and bow tie
A multilingual, cross-cultural perspective shaped across markets and institutions.

Sena works at the intersection of commerce, international affairs and human development—bringing senior judgment to assignments where reputation, relationships and execution all matter.

Fortune 500, SMEs & startupsGovernmental institutionsInvestors & strategic partners

His career spans corporate management, business development, international trade, quality assurance, brand restructuring, market expansion and senior stakeholder engagement across technology, consumer products, fashion and beauty, food and beverage, hospitality, education and emerging ventures.

A multilingual professional with experience across Japan, Australia, East Asia, the wider Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, he is skilled at interpreting different business cultures, representing organizations credibly and building alignment among decision-makers.

His work with the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and governmental institutions established a strong foundation in diplomacy, international affairs and multi-stakeholder engagement. For clients, this combination translates into the ability to read a market in context, navigate sensitive negotiations and convert strategic intent into partnerships, programs and commercial momentum.

Working principleCredibility opens the room. Judgment builds alignment. Execution creates value.

Explore his areas of expertise

Profiles & conversations

THE JAPAN TIMES · 2014From displacement to purposeRead the profile JAPANESE RADIO · InterviewResilience, dreams and dialogueWatch the interview

Academic foundation

Scholarship behind the strategy.

Ph.D.University of CambridgeUnited Kingdom flag United Kingdom
LL.M.Kyoto UniversityJapan flag Japan
M.A.McGill & Harvard UniversityCanada flag Canada United States flag United States
Global affairsUnited Nations Human Rights Council engagementSwitzerland flag Geneva, Switzerland · Diplomacy & international affairs

Recognition and research

Selected academic distinctions.

  • United Nations University Certificate on Security in the 21st Century
  • Suntory Dissertation Awards
  • Model United Nations Competition Awards
  • Japan Foundation Research Fellowship
  • Cambridge University Overseas Research Scholarship
  • Canadian Graduate Scholarship — University of Cambridge

From counsel to execution

Senior perspective.
Commercial momentum.

Dr. Vafa works across the strategic and commercial lifecycle—from identifying opportunities and shaping market-entry strategy to developing partnerships, supporting negotiations and facilitating execution. His international experience and networks extend across Japan, Australia, East Asia, the wider Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, enabling him to bridge markets, cultures and decision-makers in complex cross-border environments.

Executive Advisory

Judgment for consequential decisions.

Sena advises leaders navigating international expansion, partnerships and strategic transactions—combining commercial perspective, diplomatic negotiation and a senior network across Japan, China, the wider Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.

Market entry & strategic partnershipsM&A opportunity developmentProject finance & stakeholder engagementCross-cultural negotiation & influence

Selected leadership affiliations

Executive counselKishi & Associates Executive board directorArtisan Group
Founder · Website in developmentNexus World
FounderRunway for Hope Foundation
Start an advisory conversation
Dr. Omid Sena Vafa listening during an executive boardroom discussion
Strategy in the roomConnecting markets, people and opportunity.

Culture, leadership & representation

A presence that
connects cultures.

Across Japan, South Korea and Myanmar, Sena served as a National Director within Bride of the World and participated in its international judging panel. The engagements brought together representation, dialogue and public speaking—and reflect his belief in the power of connection across cultures.

Explore the Bride of Japan channel
Sena delivering opening remarks in traditional Japanese attire
Selected momentsOpening remarks

Author / Selected works

Ideas that cross borders.
Books that stay human.

From international security and global governance to resilience, creativity and hope, his writing connects intellectual inquiry with lived experience.

Cover of Make Life Colorful, English edition Cover of Make Life Colorful, Persian edition Latest publication · Two languages

Make Life Colorful · 2024

A book about choosing possibility.

Pursuing the Creative Dream Without Giving up on Hope.

With a foreword by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Make Life Colorful explores vision, resilience, empathy and the courage to build a life of meaning—from a journey through upheaval and displacement to purpose, enterprise and service.

Foreword by
His Holiness the Dalai LamaPublished in
English & Persian

English edition · ISBN 978-0-6457764-0-9

Official book page
Amazon and international listings are included even when a retailer currently shows out of stock, unavailable or print-on-demand. Manoto interview · Life values & Make Life Colorful (Persian)
Dr. Omid Sena Vafa, author of Make Life Colorful
The authorDr. Omid Sena VafaWriting across resilience, ideas and human possibility.

Humanitarian leadership · Purpose in practice

Runway for Hope.
Possibility for every child.

Founded in 2010, Runway for Hope brings people together around education, empowerment and career development for underprivileged and displaced children and young people. Sena’s work in Japan and Australia pairs community partnerships with practical learning opportunities.

Sena engaging directly with students during a Runway for Hope learning activity
Human connection at the center of the work

From purpose to practice

His involvement in life-design programs in Kamaishi, Iwate, included speaking and training with junior and senior high-school students over approximately three years. Creative platforms and local partnerships have helped make space for learning, confidence and opportunity.

2010Foundation establishedJapan & AustraliaCommunity connectionsEducationPractical opportunity
Watch Runway for Hope
Volunteers and students working together on a collection drive
Community action
Students taking part in a group learning activity
Learning together
Runway for Hope student group with organizers
People behind the mission
Sena addressing a community learning session
Sharing experience
Sena with children at a Runway for Hope community event
Creating opportunity

“The meaning of life is to find your gift; the purpose of life is to give it away.”

Often attributed to Pablo Picasso

Runway for Hope · Further reading & viewing

Education, service and the stories behind them.

Education · JapanKamaishi Compass — life-design program FUMIKODA · JapaneseFashion, refugees and Runway for Hope Kong Show · 2017 · EnglishRunway for Hope in conversation

In development

Beyond
Borders.

A future talk show for conversations that refuse to stay inside one category—identity, leadership, creativity and the human stories behind change.

Future media platform

Confidential executive enquiries

Turn opportunity into
strategic advantage.

Dr. Vafa's office welcomes enquiries from organizations considering cross-border growth, market entry, strategic partnerships, executive representation or a speaking engagement. His assistant coordinates introductions and scheduling; Sena brings more than 25 years of international experience to the work itself.

Senior-level perspectiveDiscreet engagementAction-oriented next steps

Contact Dr. Vafa's office

Start with a focused brief.

Share your organization, the opportunity or speaking invitation, and any important dates. His office will review your enquiry and coordinate the next step.

Please keep the initial enquiry high level and do not include confidential documents. By submitting, you agree that the information provided may be used to review and respond to your enquiry.

Where to buy

Make Life Colorful

Choose an edition and retailer. These verified listings remain useful even when availability, pricing or international delivery changes. Some pages may temporarily show out of stock, unavailable or print-on-demand.

Retailer directory reviewed September 2026.