Stefan Woxström is Representative Director and President of AstraZeneca Japan. His career at AstraZeneca has spanned more than 20 years, including several leadership roles in key markets across Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia.

Prior to his role in Japan, Stefan served as AstraZeneca’s Country President in the Nordic Baltic Region, where he oversaw eight national markets and led world-class treatment launches from AstraZeneca’s extensive Oncology, Diabetes, Cardiovascular and Respiratory pipelines. Under Stefan’s leadership, the Nordics developed into one of AstraZeneca’s leading regions, driving best practices in sales and medical activities.

Stefan joined AstraZeneca Sweden in 1996 as a member of the Sales team, later serving as National Sales Director and Marketing Director. As Business Director for Central Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEEMEA), he led the Company’s Oncology business to deliver further growth in the Middle East.

He has served as Country President for Turkey, and for Ukraine, Central Asia and the Caucasus region. In each of the markets he has overseen, Stefan has shaped businesses by fostering workplaces that focus on delivering innovative medicines more quickly to patients. He is also committed to sharing best practices across markets to promote the use of Real World Evidence. Stefan helped initiate a major RWE study, known as CVD-Real, which assessed data from six countries involving diabetes medicines.

Stefan is a Swedish national. He speaks fluent Swedish and English, and some German and Russian.

Prior to current appointment, Mr Nishikawa held various positions in METI over a period of 20+ years, including Director for Trade Strategy to cover trade strategy and global growth strategy of Japan, Executive Director of JETRO Singapore/Special Adviser to the Minister's Secretariat of METI to cover Asian economic integration, Director for Policy Planning in the Economic and Industrial Policy Bureau to coordinate the Growth Strategy of “Abenomics” Policy, Principle Deputy Director of Minister’s Secretariat, World Trade Organization negotiator, and Deputy Director for SME Finance. Has also worked in the Defence Ministry and Cabinet Office. Holds a law degree from the University of Tokyo, an LLM from Northwestern University School of Law, and an LLM in International Studies from Georgetown University Law Center. Attorney at Law in New York State, USA.

Soichiro Tada became President & CEO, GE Healthcare Japan in February 2017. He has more than 17 years’ experience in the healthcare industry, including clinical diagnostics and medical devices across a variety of care areas.

Prior to his current role, he was Vice President and General Manager of Interventional Cardiology and Peripheral Intervention at Boston Scientific Japan, which he joined in 2014. During his career at Boston Scientific, Soichiro was also responsible for Structural Heart Business Development as well as Corporate Communication & Branding.

Before Boston Scientific, he held a variety of leadership positions with GE Healthcare Japan which he joined in 2008. In his roles as Japan Ultrasound General Manager and subsequently APAC Ultrasound General Manager, Soichiro was instrumental in driving the ultrasound businesses to become the market leader.

He has a proven track record in growing businesses and leading organization changes, effectively partnering with various stakeholders in the industry including government, academia, KOL and partners/dealers.
Prior to the healthcare industry, Soichiro has experience in the IT industry where he held sales, marketing and business development positions.

Tada holds BA in Business Administration from Hosei University, Tokyo, and MBA from University of Chicago Booth School.
He is a Vice Chairman of AMDD (American Medical Devices and Diagnostics Manufacturers' Association) and an active member of Keizai Doyukai (Japan Association of Corporate Executives)

Takuji Okubo is the North Asia Director of The Economist Corporate Network, managing the Networks in Japan and in South Korea.

Prior to joining The Economist Group, Takuji was the Managing Director and Chief Economist at Japan Macro Advisors, serving global fortune 500 companies and financial institutions in Japan and abroad. In his past career, Takuji was a Chief Economist at Societe Generale, in charge of Japan and of South Korea, and a senior economist at Merrill Lynch and at Goldman Sachs. Outside his role at ECN, Takuji also serves as a non-executive director at Japan Risk Forum, an association of Chief Risk Officers among Japanese financial institutions.

Takuji holds B.A in Economics from Tokyo University and while at the university he was a recipient of prestigious INOUE scholarship. He holds MBA from INSEAD and Msc. In Economics from UPF in Barcelona. Apart from work, he enjoys motor-cycling, scuba-diving, cooking as well as worrying about the future of the Japanese economy.