Daiichi Sankyo Announces Executive Changes

John Tsai, MD to succeed Ken Takeshita, MD as Global Head of R&D

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited has appointed John Tsai, MD to succeed Ken Takeshita, MD as Global Head of R&D, effective April 1, 2026. Dr. Tsai brings over 25 years of leadership experience driving innovation and will lead the acceleration of new science to bring needed medicines to patients.

Why it matters

The executive changes at Daiichi Sankyo's R&D division signal the company's commitment to innovation and growth, as it looks to further develop its pipeline and bring new breakthrough therapies to market under new leadership.

The details

Dr. Tsai is joining Daiichi Sankyo from Syncona Investment Management, where he was an Executive Partner responsible for starting new biotech companies and driving execution across several companies focused on oncology, cardiovascular and kidney disease. Previously, he held senior roles at Novartis, Amgen and Bristol Myers Squibb, leading the development of 160 new projects and 500 clinical trials that resulted in 15 new global drug approvals.

  • The executive changes will be effective on April 1, 2026.

The players

John Tsai, MD

An experienced pharmaceutical executive who will succeed Ken Takeshita as the new Global Head of R&D at Daiichi Sankyo. He has over 25 years of leadership experience driving innovation and development of new medicines.

Ken Takeshita, MD

The current Global Head of R&D at Daiichi Sankyo who is stepping down from his role, having led the transformation of the company's R&D function.

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The takeaway

The executive changes at Daiichi Sankyo's R&D division signal the company's commitment to innovation and growth as it looks to further develop its pipeline and bring new breakthrough therapies to market under new leadership.