Leadership Network members
Rakuto Kurano
Rakuto Kurano is a Japanese–New Zealand arts executive and consultant with highly specialised expertise in the arts sector.
Rakuto is general director of the Magic Carpet Music Trust, a charitable organisation he co-founded at the age of 22 to expand opportunities for young musicians across Aotearoa.
Drawing on his background as a multi-award-winning performer-composer with over 500 professional performances, he brings unique insight to bridging creative practice with strategy and leadership.
He holds qualifications in music, digital marketing and mediation, and completed a Master of Music degree at the University of Canterbury, where he was awarded the Vernon Griffiths Award in Musical Leadership (2025) in recognition of his leadership.