Takeda names GSK executive as next chief operating officer

29 November 2013

Japan’s largest drugmaker, Takeda Pharmaceutical (TYO: 4502), says that Christophe Weber has been approved at the company's board of directors meeting to become chief operating officer and candidate as the next chief executive of the company.

Mr Weber will join Takeda to take the role of COO by April 2014 and is expected to also become president and representative director upon approval at Takeda's ordinary general meeting of shareholders and board of directors meeting at the end of June 2014. At the same time, current Takeda president and CEO, Yasuchika Hasegawa, is expected to be named chairman and CEO. This marks the first time that a non-Japanese person will be named to the top spot at Takeda.

Currently, Mr Weber is president and general manager at GSK Vaccines, CEO of GSK Biologicals SA in Belgium and member of the GlaxoSmithKline (LSE: GSK global) corporate executive team.

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