Takayuki Tsujii was born in Tokyo in 1968. He discovered soccer in London, during a one year stay in 1977, and went on to play for Waseda University and in Japan Regional Football League, equivalent to the 3rd division. After retiring as a player, he completed a master’s degree at Waseda University Graduate School of Social Sciences, specializing in the philosophies of Japanese nature conservation. At the age of 30, he joined the California-based outdoor apparel company, Patagonia, as a part-time staff member. After working at the Tokyo/Shibuya store, he became a full-time employee, gaining experience in marketing and wholesale. He served as the General Manager of Patagonia Japan from 2009 to 2019. He became a board member of the J. League in 2022 and since 2023 has been an executive officer in charge of sustainability. He dedicates most of his time to surfing and snowboarding while he is out of the office.
