Takeda appointed Julie Kim as president and chief executive officer at its 150th annual general meeting in Osaka, completing an 18-month succession. Former CEO Christophe Weber retired after 12 years. The company guided fiscal 2026 revenue of JPY 4.64 trillion, up 3 percent, with three major product launches planned in the next 12 months.
Takeda appointed Julie Kim as president and chief executive officer at its 150th annual general meeting in Osaka, completing an 18-month succession.
"Julie is an outstanding leader who has made significant contributions to the company," Masami Iijima, chair of the Board of Directors meeting, said.
Shareholders elected Kim as a new internal director before the board appointed her as representative director, president and CEO. Former CEO Christophe Weber retired after 12 years. The board reduced its non-audit committee directors to eight from 10 and added three new external directors: Bruce Broussard, Koichiro Kimura and Dr. Paul Stoffels.
Kim takes over as Takeda prepares three major product launches in the next 12 months, including oveporexton for narcolepsy, rusfertide for polycythemia vera and zasocitinib for psoriasis. The company guided fiscal 2026 revenue of JPY 4.64 trillion, up 3 percent, but expects core EPS to fall 8.7 percent to JPY 472 as it reinvests savings into late-stage assets.
Kim joined Takeda in 2019 through the Shire acquisition and held roles including president of the Plasma-Derived Therapies Business Unit and president of the U.S. Business Unit before becoming CEO-elect in 2025.
For the fiscal year ended March 31, Takeda reported revenue of JPY 4.51 trillion, down 1.7 percent on generic erosion of ADHD drug Vyvanse, while net profit jumped 77.6 percent to JPY 192 billion. The board proposed a year-end dividend of JPY 100 per share, bringing the annual payout to JPY 200, up 4 yen from the prior year.
Takeda's board now has 11 members, eight of whom are external directors. All three board committees — audit and supervisory, nomination and compensation — are composed solely of external directors.
The CEO handoff marks a new chapter for Japan's largest drugmaker as it shifts from a maturing portfolio toward a pipeline of blockbuster candidates. Investors will watch the first quarterly results under Kim's leadership, due in August, for updates on launch timelines and margin trajectory.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
