The Astellas logo at the company’s Tokyo headquarters, reflecting the leadership team’s commitment to delivering patient-first therapies globally.

Astellas Leadership

Astellas is led by our Board of Directors and Top Management Team.

As of July 2025

Board of Directors

As Chairman of the Board, former Astrellas’ CEO Kenji Yasukawa has nearly 40 years of experience offering a wealth of insights to the leadership team.

Kenji Yasukawa

Representative Director, 
Chairman of the Board

With a background in molecular biology, Astellas’ President and CEO Naoki Okamura has worked for nearly 40 years to gain deep experience in the pharmaceutical industry.

Naoki Okamura

Representative Director, 
President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Katsuyoshi Sugita, Astrellas’ Executive Vice President and  Chief People Officer, has a distinguished career in human resources and previously worked at companies like AstraZeneca and Microsoft.

Katsuyoshi Sugita

Representative Director, Executive Vice President, Chief People Officer (CPO)

Takashi Tanaka serves as an Outside Director on the Astrellas global leadership team.

Takashi Tanaka

Outside Director

Eriko Sakurai serves as an Outside Director on the Astrellas global leadership team.

Eriko Sakurai

Outside Director

Masahiro Miyazaki serves as an Outside Director on the Astellas global leadership team.

Masahiro Miyazaki

Outside Director

Yoichi Ohno serves as an Outside Director on the Astellas global leadership team.

Yoichi Ohno

Outside Director

Andreas Busch

Andreas Busch

Outside Director

Mark Enyedy

Mark Enyedy

Outside Director

Rika Hirota serves as Astellas’ Director of Audit and Supervisory Committee with an extensive background in the pharmaceutical industry.

Rika Hirota

Director, Audit & Supervisory Committee Member

Mika Nakayama is a Director of Audit and Supervisory on Astellas global leadership team.

Mika Nakayama

Outside Director, Audit & Supervisory Committee Member

Rie Akiyama is a Director of Audit and Supervisory on Astellas global leadership team.

Rie Akiyama

Outside Director, Audit & Supervisory Committee Member

Tomoko Aramaki is a Director of Audit and Supervisory on Astellas global leadership team.

Tomoko Aramaki

Outside Director, Audit & Supervisory Committee Member

Mika Nakayama is a Director of Audit and Supervisory on Astellas global leadership team.

Mika Nakayama

Outside Director, Audit & Supervisory Committee Member

Rie Akiyama is a Director of Audit and Supervisory on Astellas global leadership team.

Rie Akiyama

Outside Director, Audit & Supervisory Committee Member

As of October 2025

Top Management

In order to build an optimal management system capable of agile and appropriate decision making, Astellas maintains a global organizational structure covering the entire Group across nearly all of its divisions including those of Research, Development, Manufacturing, and administrative functions, and appoints Top Management to take charge of such activities. Top Management consists of the Representative Director, President and CEO and members who are in charge of each business area.

With a background in molecular biology, Astellas’ President and CEO Naoki Okamura has worked for nearly 40 years to gain deep experience in the pharmaceutical industry.

Naoki Okamura

Representative Director, 
President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Katsuyoshi Sugita, Astrellas’ Executive Vice President and  Chief People Officer, has a distinguished career in human resources and previously worked at companies like AstraZeneca and Microsoft.

Katsuyoshi Sugita

Representative Director, Executive Vice President,
Chief People Officer (CPO)

Tadaaki Taniguchi leads Astellas’ R&D to develop innovative therapies that put the patient first, drawing on over 20 years of pharmaceutical industry and surgical oncology experience.

Tadaaki Taniguchi, M.D., Ph.D.

Chief Research & Development Officer (CRDO)

Rao Mantri serves as Astellas’ Chief Manufacturing Officer and has 25 years of pharmaceutical industry experience

Rao Mantri, Ph.D.

Chief Manufacturing Officer (CMfgO)

Claus Zieler works as Astellas’ Chief Commercial & Medical Affairs Officer and has 30 years of pharmaceutical industry experience working for companies like Schering AG and Bayer.

Claus Zieler

Chief Commercial & Medical Affairs Officer (CCMAO)

Adam Pearson is Astellas’ Chief Strategy Officer and has 30 years of pharmaceutical industry experience.

Adam Pearson

Chief Strategy Officer (CStO)

Atsushi Kitamura is Astellas’ Chief Financial Officer and has 30 years of finance experience working for companies like Procter & Gamble and Skylark.

Atsushi Kitamura

Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Atsushi Kitamura is Astellas’ Chief Financial Officer and has 30 years of finance experience working for companies like Procter & Gamble and Skylark.

Tatjana Dragovic

General Counsel and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer (GC & CECO)