Astellas Makes Announcement about Management Structure

Rhea-AI Summary

Astellas Pharma has announced significant changes to its management structure, effective April 1, 2025, aimed at enhancing drug discovery and delivery efficiency. The company is establishing several new top management positions:

The new Chief Research & Development Officer (CRDO) role will be filled by Tadaaki Taniguchi, integrating research, development, and Primary Focus teams. Claus Zieler will become the new Chief Commercial & Medical Affairs Officer (CCMAO), combining Commercial and Medical Affairs functions. Rao V. Mantri will join as Chief Manufacturing Officer (CMfgO), and Tatjana Dragovic will assume the new position of General Counsel and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer (GC & CECO).

These changes will result in the elimination of the CMO, CCO, and CScO roles. Several executives, including Yoshitsugu Shitaka, Hideki Shima, and Catherine Levitt, will resign effective March 31, 2025. Naoki Okamura will continue as President and CEO.

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
Career History:
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
Career History:
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

 

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SOURCE Astellas Pharma Inc.

FAQ

What major management changes is Astellas Pharma (ALPMY) implementing in April 2025?

Astellas is establishing new positions including CRDO, CCMAO, and GC & CECO, while eliminating the CMO, CCO, and CScO roles. Key appointments include Tadaaki Taniguchi as CRDO, Claus Zieler as CCMAO, Rao V. Mantri as CMfgO, and Tatjana Dragovic as GC & CECO.

Why is Astellas Pharma (ALPMY) restructuring its management in 2025?

The restructuring aims to promote drug discovery activities more swiftly and efficiently from early research through commercialization, with a patient-centric approach and enhanced customer engagement.

Which executives are leaving Astellas Pharma (ALPMY) in March 2025?

Yoshitsugu Shitaka (CScO), Hideki Shima (CMfgO), and Catherine Levitt (GC) will resign effective March 31, 2025.

What is the role of the new CRDO position at Astellas Pharma (ALPMY)?

The CRDO will oversee integrated research and development teams and Primary Focus Leads to provide next-generation groundbreaking therapies from Astellas.

How will the new CCMAO role at Astellas (ALPMY) affect commercial operations?

The CCMAO role will integrate Commercial and Medical Affairs functions while maintaining their independence, aiming to build industry-leading customer engagement.