OSAKA, Japan – Takeda Pharmaceutical Company (NYSE:TAK) Limited (TOKYO:4502/NYSE:TAK) today announced a significant change in its executive team with the departure of Chief Financial Officer Costa Saroukos, who will be stepping down effective April 1, 2024. Saroukos has decided to return to Australia for family reasons but will continue to serve on the board of directors until June 28, 2024. Milano Furuta, currently the president of Takeda's Japan Pharma Business Unit, has been named as his successor.
During his tenure, which began in April 2018, Saroukos played a pivotal role in Takeda's transformation into a global biopharmaceutical company, including the acquisition and integration of Shire PLC. This was the largest-ever overseas acquisition by a Japanese company, and Saroukos' financial leadership was crucial to its success.
Furuta, who is set to take over the CFO role, has been with Takeda since 2010 and has a background in equity research analysis in the United States, banking, and private equity investment in Japan. He holds an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor's degree in international affairs from Hitotsubashi University in Japan. Furuta's diverse experience and tenure within Takeda's various leadership roles have positioned him as a strong candidate to lead the company's finance organization.
Takeda's President and CEO, Christophe Weber, expressed confidence in Furuta's capabilities to further the company's commitment to growth and shareholder returns. Weber also acknowledged Saroukos' significant contributions to the company, highlighting his role in shaping Takeda's strong finance function and culture.
The transition comes at a time when Takeda continues to focus on its core therapeutic and business areas, including gastrointestinal and inflammation, rare diseases, plasma-derived therapies, oncology, neuroscience, and vaccines. The company aims to deliver life-transforming treatments and is recognized for its R&D-driven strategy.
The press release statement from Takeda serves as the source of information for the above details, with no endorsement of claims or marketing promotions.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.