Monday 10 March 2025: 2022 Ramsay Postgraduate Scholar Keita Matsumoto is a former teacher through Teach for Australia who has also worked in philanthropy, addressing structural causes of disadvantage in education. He has been recognised by Forbes’ 30 Under 30 for Social Impact, the Australian Education Awards, and was a Gurukul Scholar, studying philosophy and meditation under HH the XIV Dalai Lama.

Now studying a dual Master of Business Administration at Stanford University and a Master of Public Policy at Harvard University, Keita has turned his eye to social impact investing and hopes to help transform the world of private capital for social good. He has thrived learning from world-leading faculty who have founded and led some of the leading funds in the world. He has also enjoyed sharing his vision with fellow Ramsay Scholars abroad, with whom he dreams about the future of Australia and how their learnings might benefit the nation in the years ahead.

Reflecting on his time abroad, Keita says a highlight has been helping to develop a new course at Harvard named ‘The Spiritual Lives of Leaders’. Keita has also enjoyed many off-campus trips, dinners and international adventures with his new peers and fellow Ramsay scholars, who he is confident will be life-long friends.  

In his own words:

The opportunity to be a Ramsay Postgraduate Scholar has meant so much to me. First, the Ramsay community has been a group of like-minded peers. I’ve been grateful for the shared connection when we get together in the US. Second, it has been an opportunity to dream together about the future of Australia; about the things we are learning and how we think they might benefit our country in the years ahead. And finally, the scholarship has gifted us with the time and mental space to fully engage in the graduate school experience. I have more fully been able to throw myself into the many opportunities afforded to us. The benefit of this cannot be overstated, and I am sincerely grateful for the generosity of the Centre. 

With my Ramsay Postgraduate Scholarship I’m supported to study a dual Master of Business Administration at Stanford University and a Master of Public Policy at Harvard University in the US. The highlight of my time so far has definitely been the breadth and depth of relationships with classmates, professors, and friends. Graduate school has been unique in that it’s a rich opportunity to step away from full time work and pursue deep reflection on life and career. To undertake this reflection with peers and professors that are each so accomplished and thoughtful has been a real gift. Though memory of the specific details of classes and projects may fade over the years, I know that the depth and importance of these relationships will evolve and endure.

I’ve focused my studies on social impact investing – both the regulatory and investor perspectives. At Harvard Kennedy School where I completed the first part of my degree, I studied the policies and regulations that have supported the growth of impact investing markets in countries like England, Singapore, and the United States. Countries have approached the opportunity in different ways and it’s been energising to think about how we might continue to evolve this work in Australia. At Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB), I learned finance, accounting, and investing from the ground up, and in my final year, have had the opportunity to work on an investment thesis on the role of employee share ownership in private equity. I love how practical the GSB education has been, and the access we have to world-leading faculty who are practitioners in the space. It’s incredible to learn investing from people who have literally founded and are leading some of the best funds in the world. And to learn with peers who are going to do incredible things in the world. 

My undergraduate years at the Australian National University were transformational in so many ways, and that experience helped lay the foundations that enabled me to thrive at places like Stanford. What I love about Stanford is the vibrancy and optimism of the place: people swing for the fences – they dream big dreams and take active steps towards turning those dreams into reality. That kind of energy is infectious. It elevates the way you look at the world; how you see your role within it; and how you ultimately decide to spend your time. That, balanced with fun, humble, and grounded classmates makes for the most extraordinary community. 

The academic experience has been so exceptional that naming any one highlight is difficult, but if I had to choose, it would be helping to create a new course at Harvard Business School named, “The Spiritual Lives of Leaders.” It has been my academic highlight because of the journey: starting as a short-course participant, continuing my involvement in a semester-long pilot, to being invited onto the course team with faculty to develop a full-semester class. The most meaningful aspect of this is imagining how generations of Harvard graduates will come to benefit from the course. The faculty involved are exceptional. To think of their long-term, generational impact on the leadership of Harvard graduates is truly inspiring.

Beyond the books, I’ve had so much fun with my classmates. We take many off-campus trips, organize dinners with friends, and head off on incredible international adventures. These experiences deepen our relationships in meaningful ways and I’m coming away from this experience with lifelong friends. On a personal level I’ve also spent a lot of time growing spiritually and emotionally. I’ve experienced such tremendous growth through the help of executive coaches, spiritual directors, and wise, thoughtful peers. It’s fair to say that my personal growth has been as significant as my professional. I definitely wasn’t expecting this coming into the experience – and I am grateful for the time and space to grow in this way. 

Having the Ramsay community abroad has been really special. It’s like having access to a small family of Australians whilst each of us are off exploring the world. It’s comforting to walk into a room and hear the Australian accent. It’s special visiting a small, historic town like Annapolis, Maryland with a group of like-minded Australians all thinking about the future of our country. I’ve appreciated the get-togethers we’ve had in iconic cities like Boston and New York when I’ve felt a little bit homesick for Australia. And I’ve made some very special Ramsay friendships along the way.

I’m excited about the future of for-purpose investing and I think there’s a tremendous amount of good work to be done in the years ahead. The knowledge and experience I’ve gained over the past three years has shown me that it’s entirely within our grasp to transform the world of private capital for social good. There are exceptional ideas, individuals and institutions on both ends of the finance and impact spectrum doing incredible, groundbreaking work. I’m excited about contributing to this space.

Interested in a Ramsay Postgraduate Scholarship? If you have the spirit and tenacity to change the world, we’re here to help you with scholarships for study at the world’s best overseas universities valued at up to AUD90,000 p.a. Applications for 2025 open until 24 March 2025. For more information go to: https://ramsaypostgradscholarship.com/

Media contact: Sarah Switzer 0407 816 098 / sarah.switzer@ramsaycentre.org

For more information on the Centre please visit our website: www.ramsaycentre.org