Asia On The Move: Takeda Names Emerging Markets Head
This article was originally published in PharmAsia News
Executive Summary
One in and one out at Takeda as Christophe Weber takes over as chief operating officer. Top executive changes also took place at Bayer Yakuhin and Sanofi’s Genzyme subsidiary in Japan, as well as MSD in China.
Asia On The Move is a column highlighting personnel changes in Asia Pacific. The previous issue covered the Center for Drug Evolution at China FDA and Shionogi & Co. Ltd. (Also see "Asia On The Move: CFDA Names New Drug Review Director, Shionogi Reorgs R&D" - Scrip, 12 Mar, 2014.).
Considered to be the CEO-in-waiting, Christophe Weber will officially become the chief operating officer of Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., starting in April. With Weber in charge of operations, Takeda will make several changes. Specifically, all functions and divisions currently reporting to CEO Yasuchika Hasegawa will report directly to Weber.
That includes Takeda’s vaccine business and commercial operations outside Japan, due to Weber’s broad experience in international commercial operations at GlaxoSmithKline PLC. With Weber in, Takeda will eliminate the position of chief commercial officer (CCO), and the current CCO Frank Morich will step down in April.
Meanwhile, the largest Japanese drug maker appointed Giles Platford as head of Commercial Operations, Emerging Markets. Platford was formerly executive vice president, Commercial Operations for Takeda Nycomed AS Brazil, and general manager of Takeda Brazil after the acquisition of Nycomed. Platford later became the area head for Middle East, Turkey and Africa.
Genzyme, Bayer And More
Genzyme Corp. has appointed Asia Pacific Region and Canada Senior Vice President Nicholas Grund as the president of Genzyme Japan, in addition to his current position, effective in April. Current President Yoshikazu Nakamura will leave his post at the end of March.
Meanwhile, Sanofi Japan President Jez Moulding will become the executive board director of Genzyme Japan.
Bayer Yakuhin Ltd. Chairman Norikazu Eiki will vacate his position April 30, and the company has not yet announced a replacement.
Roche Diagnostics Corp. executive Xinguang Wang was reported to have left for Merck Sharp & Dohme Ltd. in China, where he became the vice president for commercial, retail and alliances. Wang was previously vice president of Roche China where he was in charge of commercial operations.
Becton Dickinson & Co. appointed Varun Khanna as its managing director for business development in India. India is one of Becton Dickinson’s key markets and is central to its growth strategy in Greater Asia, the company said in a statement. Khanna worked previously at Fortis Healthcare.
In addition, Nippon Shinyaku Co. Ltd. appointed the following directors:
- Hitoshi Saito as executive director. Saito is currently the director of Planning in the company’s R&D division;
- Jinan Tanaka as senior executive director, Supply Chain Reliability; and
- Senior Executive Director Kazuo Fukushima is leaving his position.
Consultancy
L.E.K Consulting promoted Justin Wang to be a partner in the firm’s Shanghai office. Wang has 10 years of experience in strategic consulting, providing strategic, management, and investment advisory services to corporate clients and investors. Meanwhile, Jeff Stevens, co-head of the China Practice, has relocated to the Shanghai office.