GLOBAL pharmaceutical company Takeda announced Monday a new Area Head for the Near East, Middle East & Africa (NEMEA) operations. Takafumi Horii (Taka) has been appointed to the new position after his nine years journey at Takeda holding a number of strategic and leadership roles in many countries. The appointment is effective from Sept. 18, 2018.

Based in Dubai, Taka’s new role will see him spearhead Takeda’s continued growth across the NEMEA region, while upholding the organization’s unwavering commitment to serving patients and its long-held reputation as a best employer.

Taka joined Takeda Japan in 2009 as Corporate Strategy & Planning Manager before relocating to Takeda China as Head of Strategic Planning in 2011. A move to Head of Strategic Projects & Planning for North Asia followed, before he joined the EM BU as Vice President, Strategy & Business Support in 2015.

In his most recent role as President & General Manager Taiwan, which he held in 2016, Taka oversaw the successful launch of new pharmaceutical products including Adcetris and Entyvio. He also cultivated a culture that saw Takeda Taiwan named Taiwan's Best Companies to Work for in Asia, alongside Top Employer® status in 2016 and 2017.

As Standing Director & Market Access Chair at International Research-based Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associations (IRPMA) in Taiwan, he has also supported in healthcare policy improvements for patients and industry development in the past 2 years.

“2018 has seen Takeda take massive strides towards our ambition of becoming a global, values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical leader, and the rapidly evolving NEMEA region is an integral part of this,” commented Taka Horii. “Leading our continued growth in the region is an exciting prospect, and I relish the opportunities and challenges that lay ahead for Takeda.” — SG