Vikram Chand, Senior Vice President, Head of R&D at AstraZeneca Japan, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“100 Days.
I recently crossed my 100‑day mark as SVP, Head of R&D Japan. Since arriving here in January, I’ve had the pleasure of engaging with many colleagues across our Japan sites through town halls, small group sessions and hearing directly from the teams who advance our science each day. In February, I joined our global Senior Leaders Meeting and, with a clear view of how R&D Japan will continue to evolve, we focused on setting this year’s goals, including how we will responsibly leverage AI to transform how we work – improving productivity and efficiency so that new medicines can reach patients more quickly.
In March, I was paired with Andy Barnett who took over AZ Japan business from Takafumi Horii April 1, 2026. Having worked together previously, we both have since deepened our collaboration with the Japan Business and R&D Leadership Teams and aim to continue pushing boundaries in bringing transformative medicines to patients in Japan.
Over the past two months, our engagements have had a clear purpose: sharpening decisions, strengthening partnerships, and expanding the external ecosystem. During Susan Galbraith’s visit, we tightened execution plans and clarified priorities. At JSMO2026 and WCN’26 – and during the visit by Anas Younes’s Hematology team – we met with Japan’s investigators and key external experts, further deepening partnerships. In parallel, sharing the stage with Andy at our AZ Japan results press conference, hosting 2011 Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine Dr. Bruce A. Beutler via Nobel Prize Inspiration Initiative, and continued dialogues with leaders within and beyond pharma (industry, academia, and policy) have expanded an ecosystem centered on patients and science.
Those exchanges have shaped my priorities and strengthened my conviction in the unique strengths of R and D in Japan. Looking ahead, we will execute with urgency across the pipeline and key studies, enhance global impact by leveraging Japan’s strengths. The future is bright, and I look forward to continuing this journey with colleagues and stakeholders in Japan and around the world.
Lastly, I was glad to enjoy this year’s cherry blossoms in Tokyo – a timely moment of appreciation before we take on what’s next.”
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