NORTHBROOK, Ill., April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Astellas today named Bob Chib and Cassie Hogenkamp to key leadership roles within its Corporate Development function to advance the strategic capabilities of Astellas' Americas operations and further strengthen the company's focus on patient needs. Corporate Development also spearheads Astellas' corporate planning and regional alliance management and licensing activities.

Chib will serve as executive director, corporate strategy, planning and initiative management and delivery. In his new role, Chib and his team will support Astellas Americas President Jim Robinson and the Astellas Americas Management Committee in the planning and execution of corporate strategy. He formerly led Astellas' Strategic Accounts Business Unit. Chib joined Astellas in 2004 as associate director, urology and primary care marketing. Prior to Astellas, he served as senior group marketing manager at TAP Pharmaceuticals. He will report to Yoko Saiki, vice president, Corporate Development.

Hogenkamp will continue to serve as executive director, commercial strategy and innovation, where she remains focused on leading commercial strategic activities for the Americas, including launch excellence, brand planning and loss-of exclusivity analyses. Previously part of the Astellas Pharma US Sales and Marketing organization, Hogenkamp and her team will now join Corporate Development. Hogenkamp joined Yamanouchi – merged with Fujisawa to become Astellas in 2005 – in 2003 as director, business intelligence. Prior to Yamanouchi, she served as marketing director, cardiovascular therapeutics, at DuPont. Hogenkamp will also report to Saiki.

"The changes in Astellas' Corporate Development organization will help achieve alignment and consistency of strategy across the Americas and globally," said Saiki. "I'm confident that Bob and Cassie, and their respective teams, will make an immediate impact on how we operate cohesively as an organization, and ultimately, how we serve patients."

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, Facebook at www.facebook.com/AstellasUS or LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/astellas-pharma.

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SOURCE Astellas