- Yasukawa, who brings more than 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, succeeds Yoshihiko Hatanaka, who will become Chairman of the Board -

Tokyo, January 31, 2018 - Astellas Pharma Inc. (TSE: 4503, President and CEO: Yoshihiko Hatanaka, “the Company” ) today announced that its Board of Directors approved a change in its Representative Director, President and CEO as stated below.

  1. Reason for Change

    The changes below enable Astellas to vigorously pursue the new strategic plan, which is set to start in the fiscal year 2018, aiming to realize the Astellas’ Vision of being on the forefront of healthcare change to turn innovative science into value for patients.
     
  2. Changes of Representative Directors
    (Name)
    Yoshihiko Hatanaka
    (New Position)
    Representative Director, Chairman of the Board
    (Current Position)
    Representative Director, President and CEO
    (Name)
    Kenji Yasukawa
    (New Position)
    Representative Director, President and CEO
    (Current Position)
    Representative Director, Executive Vice President
  3. Effective date of change:

    April 1, 2018


    (Reference)
  • Curriculum Vitae of new Representative Director, Chairman of the Board

    Name: Yoshihiko Hatanaka
    Date of Birth: April 20, 1957
    Place of Birth: Shizuoka prefecture

    -Career History
     
    June 2011
    Representative Director, President & CEO, the Company
     
    (present post)
    April 2009
    Senior Corporate Executive, Chief Strategy Officer and Chief
     
    Financial Officer, the Company
    June 2008
    Senior Corporate Executive of the Company and President &
     
    CEO, Astellas US LLC and President & CEO, Astellas Pharma
     
    US, Inc.
    April 2006
    Corporate Executive of the Company and President & CEO,
     
    Astellas US LLC and President & CEO, Astellas Pharma US,
     
    Inc.
    June 2005
    Corporate Executive, Vice President, Corporate Planning,
     
    Corporate Strategy Division, the Company
    April 2005
    Vice President, Corporate Planning, Corporate Strategy
     
    Division, the Company
    April 2003
    Director, Corporate Planning, Fujisawa Pharmaceutical Co.,
     
    Ltd.
    April 1980
    Joined Fujisawa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
     

    -Education
    March 1980
    Hitotsubashi University Bachelor of Economics
  • Curriculum Vitae of new Representative Director, Chairman of the Board

    Name: Kenji Yasukawa
    Date of Birth: June 7, 1960
    Place of Birth: Tokyo

    -Career History
    June 2017
    Representative Director, Executive Vice President,
     
    Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Commercial Officer,
     
    the Company (present post)
    April 2017
    Senior Corporate Executive, Senior Vice President,
     
    Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Commercial Officer,
     
    the Company
    June 2012
    Senior Corporate Executive, Senior Vice President and
     
    Chief Strategy Officer, the Company
    April 2012
    Corporate Executive, Senior Vice President and
     
    Chief Strategy Officer, the Company
    April  2011
    Corporate Executive, Vice President,
     
    Product & Portfolio Strategy, the Company
    October  2010
    Corporate Executive of the Company, Therapeutic Area Head,
     
    Urology, Astellas Pharma Global Development, Inc.
    June  2010
    Corporate Executive of the Company, Therapeutic Area Head,
     
    Urology, Astellas Pharma Europe B.V.
    April  2005
    Vice President, Project Management, Urology, the Company
    April  1986
    Joined the Company (former Yamanouchi Pharmaceutical Co.,
     
    Ltd.)
     
    -Education
    July 2001
    Showa University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical
     
    Sciences, Japan, Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences
    March 1986
    University of Tokyo, Master of Science, Agriculture

 

About Astellas
Astellas Pharma Inc., based in Tokyo, Japan, is a company dedicated to improving the health of people around the world through the provision of innovative and reliable pharmaceutical products. We focus on Urology, Oncology, Immunology, Nephrology and Neuroscience as prioritized therapeutic areas while advancing new therapeutic areas and discovery research leveraging new technologies/modalities. We are also creating new value by combining internal capabilities and external expertise in the medical/healthcare business. Astellas is on the forefront of healthcare change to turn innovative science into value for patients. For more information, please visit our website at www.astellas.com/en.

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.

Contacts for inquiries or additional information:

Astellas Pharma Inc.
Corporate Communications
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