NORTHBROOK, Ill., Feb. 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Astellas announces organizational and personnel changes in the Americas, highlighting the Company's focus on international markets, while also building new Corporate Affairs and Corporate Development functions. Additionally, the Company is continuing to streamline business development globally.  The changes enable further growth in core markets, as well as a stronger corporate branded presence and greater support of business partnerships worldwide.

"This is a dynamic, growing and evolving time at Astellas," said Masao Yoshida, president and CEO, Astellas US LLC. "These enhanced roles will enable a sharper focus on meeting patient needs, building the Astellas brand, and anticipating future business growth."

With the Company's focus on further growth and expansion in markets outside of the United States, Percival Barretto-Ko has been appointed into a new position of senior vice president, International Operations.  Formerly senior vice president, Corporate Strategy and Government Affairs, Barretto-Ko will oversee Astellas Pharma Canada, Inc. and Astellas Pharma Latin America, and will lead Astellas' efforts in strengthening its presence and commercial excellence in these important growth regions. 

Senior vice president and chief communications officer, Jeff Winton, adds Government Affairs to his responsibilities, and will now oversee the newly formed Corporate Affairs organization. This team combines state and federal government affairs, corporate, employee and business communications, advocacy, corporate branding, corporate social responsibility and corporate events, effectively uniting the Astellas voice among all key external stakeholders.

The newly named Corporate Development team encompasses both corporate strategy and regional licensing and alliance management in the United States. Yoko Saiki, vice president, Corporate Development, will lead the organization which seeks to create and execute corporate strategies, while also building and enhancing relationships with current and future business partners in the region.

Barretto-Ko, Winton and Saiki will report to Yoshida.

Finally, the Americas-based Business Development and Global Alliance management team will report to Global Business Development in Tokyo, thereby expediting the process of building business partners through a globally unified team.

About Astellas

Astellas is a pharmaceutical company dedicated to improving the health of people around the world through the provision of innovative and reliable pharmaceutical products. For more information on Astellas, please visit our website at www.astellas.us. You can also follow us on Twitter at @AstellasUS.

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SOURCE Astellas