Noboru Watanabe

Founder and president of Riviera Corporation Noboru Watanabe has led the growth of a premier Japanese lifestyle company with more than 2,000 employees working in Asia and North America. He oversees the corporation’s manifold business ventures, which range from athletic clubs and aquatic sports venues to gourmet dining establishments and wedding services. Among his prize sporting assets, Noboru Watanabe owns the Riviera Country Club, a distinguished golf destination in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles, California.

Dedicated to environmentally sustainable alternatives, Noboru Watanabe operates the organic agriculture business Riviera Farms. He also promotes the use of locally sourced produce in the food service industry through advocacy of the farm-to-table movement.

As a boating enthusiast and owner of several Japanese marinas, Mr. Watanabe helps sponsor youth sailing programs that educate participants about preservation of marine resources. He seeks to reduce the environmental impacts of personal transportation by supporting ride-sharing initiatives that involve electric vehicles.

Among his personal interests, Noboru Watanabe enjoys collecting art, playing piano, and attending music performances throughout the world. Having formerly played the flute, he began studying piano when he turned 60 and has cultivated the ability to play a collection of compositions without the aid of sheet music. He admires the work of the renowned Japanese pianist Ikuyo Nakamichi, for whom he has acted as a benefactor.