Astellas Pharma Europe Ltd. Appoints Mike Crooks to Head up its UK Operations
STAINES, England, January 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
Astellas Pharma Europe Ltd. (APEL), the European subsidiary of Tokyo-based Astellas Pharma Inc., one of the world's top 20 pharmaceutical companies, has appointed Mike Crooks as General Manager of its UK affiliate, Astellas Pharma Ltd. (APL). Mr Crooks first joined APL in December 2007, as Marketing Director, building a strong team and developing the brand strategy for the UK portfolio of products, before being appointed Sales & Marketing Director for Specialist Brands in 2010.
Mr Crooks will be responsible for managing and expanding Astellas' UK business with a focus on the Company's therapeutic areas: Transplantation, Urology, Dermatology, Anti-Infectives, Pain Management and more recently Oncology.
"We are delighted to have Mike leading our UK operations," said Ken Jones, President and CEO, APEL. "When Mike joined Astellas he brought with him a high level of expertise and has since played a role at APL in supporting its goals of achieving £100 million in sales by March 2010, which is now expected to reach £300 million in cumulative sales in 2012. With a proven track record in delivering sales, and a wealth of experience, Mike provides the right leadership to deliver on our commercial objectives and will support our commitment to patients and healthcare professionals in the UK."
Commenting on his appointment, Mr Crooks said: "I am very excited to be heading up Astellas UK. With a strong team, product portfolio and a rich pipeline in Phase III development, this marks an important period for the business. Having already established category leadership in Urology and Transplantation, we are looking to do the same in Oncology, reinforcing our commitment to bringing new and effective therapies to market in areas where unmet needs still exist.
Mr Crooks joined APL from Novo Nordisk, where he was Marketing and Sales Director: Diabetes, Northern Europe. His career in the pharmaceutical industry began in 1981 as a sales representative with Ciba and he went on to hold a number of senior sales and marketing positions at Novartis and Zeneca. Mr Crooks holds a degree in Zoology from the University of Newcastle-upon Tyne and an MBA from Henley Management College. Mr Crooks, replaces Amit Makwana, who sadly passed away last year.
Notes to Editors
About Astellas Pharma Europe Ltd.:
Astellas Pharma Europe Ltd., located in the UK, is the European Headquarters of Tokyo-based Astellas Pharma Inc. Astellas is a pharmaceutical company dedicated to improving the health of people around the world through the provision of innovative and reliable pharmaceuticals. The organisation is committed to becoming a global company by combining outstanding research and development (R&D) and marketing capabilities and continuing to grow in the world pharmaceutical market. Astellas Pharma Europe Ltd. manages 21 affiliate offices located across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. In addition, the Company has an R&D site and three manufacturing plants in Europe. The company employs approximately 4,200 staff across these regions. For more information about Astellas Pharma Europe, please visit http://www.astellas.eu
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