Press release
Mar 25, 2020

Sosei Heptares announces New Board Director Appointment and Executive Promotion


Tokyo, Japan and London, UK, 25 March 2020 – Sosei Group Corporation (“the Company”; TSE: 4565) today announces the appointment of Mr. Rolf Soderstrom as a new Board Director and the promotion of Dr. Malcolm Weir to Executive Vice Chairman. These changes, which were announced at the Company’s 30th Shareholders’ Meeting held in Tokyo today, alongside the completion of a realignment of its UK R&D organization in which a number of talented scientists were promoted, have been designed to strengthen the focus of Sosei Heptares on the execution of the next stage of the Company’s growth strategy. This strategy aims to leverage Sosei Heptares’ world-class Platform, Discovery and Early Development capabilities with a focus on advancing and extending its portfolio of Partnered Programs.

 

Details of the changes are as follows:

Board of Directors (effective 25 March 2020)

Chairman of the Board                                                                Shinichi Tamura (reappointed)

External Director                                                                        Tomohiro Tohyama (reappointed)

External Independent Director                                                 Kuniaki Kaga (reappointed)

External Independent Director                                                 David Roblin (reappointed)

External Independent Director                                                 Noriaki Nagai (reappointed)

External Independent Director                                                 Rolf Soderstrom (newly appointed)

 

Mr. Rolf Soderstrom is a newly appointed External Director. He brings over 30 years’ experience in finance and a track record of accelerating the profitable growth of companies and delivering shareholder returns. Rolf has extensive strategic, operational and international experience including M&A, fundraisings and disposals. He was previously CFO at the UK-listed FTSE250 specialist healthcare company BTG plc (2008-2018), which was acquired by Boston Scientific for US$4.2 billion in 2019. Before that, Rolf was Divisional Finance Director at Cobham Plc and a Director of Corporate Finance at Cable & Wireless Plc. He qualified as a chartered accountant at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

 

Rolf’s appointment follows the retirement of Mrs. Julia Gregory from the Sosei Group Board of Directors at today’s Shareholders’ meeting.

 

Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Shinichi Tamura said: “On behalf of the Board and the Company’s key stakeholders I would to like to thank Julia for her important contribution to the growth and development of the Group over the past three years. I would also like to welcome Rolf, whose financial and operational experience in the global biotech industry will be invaluable as we continue to deliver on our internationally focused growth strategy.”

 

Executive Officers (effective 25 March 2020)

Representative Executive Officer,

Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer                                    Shinichi Tamura

Executive Vice Chairman                                                                     Malcolm Weir

EVP, Chief Financial Officer                                                                  Chris Cargill

EVP, Chief Medical Officer                                                                    Tim Tasker

EVP, Group Chief Compliance Officer                                                     Kazuhiko Yoshizumi

EVP, Representative Director President, Sosei Co. Ltd.                            Tadayoshi Yasui

 

Malcolm Weir, previously EVP Research and Early Development is appointed to the role of Executive Vice Chairman of Sosei Group Corporation, reporting to the President and CEO.

 

The promotion follows the realignment of Sosei Heptares’ Research & Early Development organization in the UK. The new structure, which involved the creation of new leadership roles and several promotions, as well as enhanced resourcing initiatives, is designed to strengthen the Company’s focus on the execution of the next stage of its growth strategy.

 

Chairman, President and CEO, Shinichi Tamura said: “I would like to congratulate Malcolm on his new role. He has made critical contributions as we have evolved the Company’s growth strategy in the last 24 months. I am confident that with the Board, Executive team and realigned and focused organization we now have in place, Sosei Heptares is well placed to deliver on its goals and generate value for its shareholders.”

 

– ENDS –


 DOWNLOAD PDF