Eisai Announces President And CEO Succession

Eisai Inc. announced the appointment of Yuji Matsue as company chairman and chief executive officer and Shaji Procida as president and chief operating officer, succeeding current President and CEO Lonnel Coats. The appointments will be effective April 1.

Current Eisai CEO Coats will retire in June 2014 after nearly two decades of being with the company. Haruo Naito, president and CEO of Eisai Co. Ltd., said “We are grateful to Lonnel Coats for the outstanding leadership he has displayed during his 18-year tenure with Eisai. He has played an integral role in shaping Eisai's business strategy and operations, positioning us for continued success. On behalf of everyone at Eisai, I express my deep appreciation to Lonnel for his many contributions.”

Mr. Coats responded, “I thank Mr. Naito for the privilege of leading Eisai's Americas business and advancing our company's human health care mission to serve patients and their families. After ten years at the helm of Eisai Inc., I am immensely proud to turn over the leadership of our business to my colleagues, Yuji Matsue and Shaji Procida. They are highly skilled executives with deep knowledge of our company, our products and our partners, and are dedicated to our patient-centered approach to running our business.”

Mr. Procida will take full responsibility for Eisai’s U.S. business while Mr. Matsue will take control of strategic direction of the company’s business in the Americas Region. The two executives will also render regional management support as well as oversight to all operating units and companies in the Americas.

“Yuji and Shaji bring significant industry experience and expertise to their new roles within Eisai. Their leadership will be instrumental in taking Eisai to the next level as we work to broaden access to many of Eisai's products across the Americas Region and advance our human health care mission,” Mr. Haito said.