Kyowa Kirin Announces Changes in Top Leadership Positions to Strengthen Operations as a Global Specialty Pharmaceutical Company

TOKYO--( BUSINESS WIRE )-- Japan-based Global Specialty Pharmaceutical Company Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd. (President and CEO: Masashi Miyamoto.) (TOKYO:4151) today announced that Masashi Miyamoto, Ph.D. will take the role of Chairman and CEO, after serving as President for the past 7 years. Abdul Mullick, Ph.D., the current Chief International Business Officer (CIBO), will become President and Chief Operating Officer. The changes will come into effect following approval at the Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders and the Board of Directors meeting in March 2025.

These changes reflect a new dual CEO-COO leadership structure to help support the business’ continued growth. Miyamoto, as Chairman and CEO, will lead discussions on Kyowa Kirin's direction and overall strategy and maintain key relationships with stakeholders, while Mullick, as President and COO, will oversee the execution of all business operations at the global level, enhancing collaboration across regions and functions and advancing the management strategy. Additional details regarding the structure will be shared post-approval.

“Our vision for 2030 is to deliver life-changing value to patients in our focus disease areas, by leveraging novel research, innovative modalities and the global capabilities we’ve built for in-house delivery and strategic partnering opportunities,” said Dr. Miyamoto. “I am pleased to work alongside Dr. Mullick in his new role to guide the next stage of our ongoing transformation, so we can realize our vision as healthcare systems continue to evolve globally. In his six years with the company, Dr. Mullick has brought exceptional leadership, building on his extensive experience across multiple companies, cultures, and geographies, and I am confident he will bring even more value in his new role.”

Dr. Mullick added: “I am honored to be nominated as the next President and COO of Kyowa Kirin. Helping Kyowa Kirin transform into a true Japan-based global specialty pharmaceutical company that makes people smile has been one of the greatest privileges of my life, and I am confident that the journey we are on to achieve our Vision 2030 will deliver even greater opportunities for our business, for our employees, and most important, for the patients who count on us.”

Mullick will be based in the company’s Global headquarters in Tokyo, where he has lived since 2023. He is originally from the United Kingdom and holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of Bristol, and a BSc in Molecular Biology from Kingston University, both in the UK.

The changes of the representative directors were agreed at the Board of Directors meeting held today. It also was announced that Yutaka Osawa, Executive Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer (CCO), will retire in March 2025.

About Kyowa Kirin

Kyowa Kirin aims to discover and deliver novel medicines and treatments with life-changing value. As a Japan-based Global Specialty Pharmaceutical Company, we have invested in drug discovery and biotechnology innovation for more than 70 years and are currently working to engineer the next generation of antibodies and cell and gene therapies with the potential to help patients with high unmet medical needs, such as bone & mineral, intractable hematological diseases/hemato oncology, and rare diseases. A shared commitment to our values, to sustainable growth, and to making people smile unites us across the globe.

You can learn more about the business of Kyowa Kirin at: https://www.kyowakirin.com .

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