Takeda's Rahul Singhvi on how starting from a blank sheet and sticking to a clear ethos have been the making of a new global vaccines giant

Before 2012, Takeda Pharmaceutical (TYO: 4502) did not have a presence in the global vaccines space.

The drugmaker had sold vaccines in its native Japan for many decades, but did not go international until the company set up its Global Vaccine Business Unit five years ago under the leadership of Rajeev Venkayya.

As president of the business, Dr Venkayya is the boss of Rahul Singhvi, who since 2013 has been the chief operating officer of the unit. Even with their ambitious strategy, the duo and their colleagues could not have expected to be on the brink of having such a major impact so quickly in such a challenging drug development area.