TOKYO, Feb. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Astellas Pharma Inc. (TSE: 4503, President and CEO: Naoki Okamura, “Astellas”) today announced that the following changes to its management structure effective April 1, 2025.
Regarding the Changes in Management Structure
Astellas aims to create and deliver “VALUE” for patients. To promote drug discovery activities swiftly and efficiently from the early stages of research through to commercialization with patient-centric approach, Astellas will change its management structure effective April 1, 2025, establishing new top management positions and making personnel changes as follows.
- Establishment and Appointment of Chief Research & Development Officer (CRDO)
As an innovation engine, we will integrate the research and development teams, and the Primary Focus Leads to provide the next-generation groundbreaking therapies from Astellas. Effective April 1, 2025, we will establish the position of CRDO, overseeing these divisions, with Tadaaki Taniguchi, M.D., Ph.D., the current Chief Medical Officer (CMO), appointed to this role. - Establishment and Appointment of Chief Commercial & Medical Affairs Officer (CCMAO)
To build customer engagement that leads the pharmaceutical industry, we will integrate the current Commercial and Medical Affairs functions while maintaining the independence of each function. Effective April 1, 2025, we will establish the position of CCMAO, overseeing these divisions, with Claus Zieler, the current Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), appointed to this role.With this change in management structure, the roles of CMO, CCO, and Chief Scientific Officer (CScO) will be eliminated. Yoshitsugu Shitaka, Ph.D., the current CScO, will resign effective March 31, 2025.
- Appointment of Chief Manufacturing Officer (CMfgO)
Rao V. Mantri, Ph.D. will be appointed to the new CMfgO, as of April 1, 2025. He joined Astellas on February 3, 2025, and has extensive experience in a global pharmaceutical company, focusing on innovation in product development, manufacturing, and supply, as well as being involved in management. Hideki Shima, the current CMfgO, will resign effective March 31, 2025. - Establishment and Appointment of General Counsel and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer (GC & CECO)
We will consolidate legal, intellectual property, quality assurance, and ethics & compliance into a single top management position as an important risk management function. Effective April 1, 2025, we will establish the position of GC & CECO, with Tatjana Dragovic appointed to this role. Since joining Astellas in 2007, she has held leadership roles in legal and ethics & compliance. Catherine Levitt, the current GC, will resign effective March 31, 2025.
Top Management (Effective April 1, 2025)
Name | Title |
Naoki Okamura | Representative Director, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) |
Katsuyoshi Sugita | Representative Director, Corporate Executive Vice President, Chief People Officer (CPO) |
Tadaaki Taniguchi | Chief Research & Development Officer (CRDO) |
Rao Mantri | Chief Manufacturing Officer (CMfgO) |
Claus Zieler | Chief Commercial & Medical Affairs Officer (CCMAO) |
Adam Pearson | Chief Strategy Officer (CStO) |
Nick Eshkenazi | Chief Digital & Transformation Officer (CDTO) |
Atsushi Kitamura | Chief Financial Officer (CFO) |
Tatjana Dragovic | General Counsel and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer (GC & CECO) |
About Astellas
Astellas is a global life sciences company committed to turning innovative science into VALUE for patients. We provide transformative therapies in disease areas that include oncology, ophthalmology, urology, immunology and women’s health. Through our research and development programs, we are pioneering new healthcare solutions for diseases with high unmet medical need. Learn more at www.astellas.com.
Cautionary Notes
In this press release, statements made with respect to current plans, estimates, strategies and beliefs and other statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements about the future performance of Astellas. These statements are based on management’s current assumptions and beliefs in light of the information currently available to it and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: (i) changes in general economic conditions and in laws and regulations, relating to pharmaceutical markets, (ii) currency exchange rate fluctuations, (iii) delays in new product launches, (iv) the inability of Astellas to market existing and new products effectively, (v) the inability of Astellas to continue to effectively research and develop products accepted by customers in highly competitive markets, and (vi) infringements of Astellas’ intellectual property rights by third parties. Information about pharmaceutical products (including products currently in development) which is included in this press release is not intended to constitute an advertisement or medical advice.
(Reference)
- Biography of the Newly Appointed Chief Manufacturing Officer (CMfgO)
Name: Rao V. Mantri | |
| |
February 2025 | Astellas (present post) |
June 2022 | Senior Vice President, Product Development, Bristol Myers Squibb |
September 2021 | Vice President, Global Supply Chain, Bristol Myers Squibb |
November 2019 | Head & Vice President, Drug Product Development, Bristol Myers Squibb |
June 2019 | Co-Lead, Oncology Product Design & Delivery Development Team, Bristol Myers Squibb |
June 2016 | Executive Director, Parenteral Science & Technology, Bristol Myers Squibb |
August 2012 | Director, Materials Science & Engineering, Bristol Myers Squibb |
January 2010 | Associate Director, Aseptic Technology, Bristol Myers |
May 2000 | Scientist roles with increasing responsibility, Biopharmaceutics R&D, Bristol Myers Squibb |
- Biography of the Newly Appointed General Counsel and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer (GC & CECO)
Name: Tatjana Dragovic | |
| |
May 2018 | Head, Ethics & Compliance, Astellas (present post) |
June 2014 | Vice President, Ethics & Compliance, Astellas |
February 2013 | Associate General Counsel, US, Astellas |
November 2000 | Assistant General Counsel, US, Astellas |
July 2007 | Senior Corporate Counsel, US, Astellas |
August 2000 | Associate Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP |
SOURCE Astellas Pharma Inc.
