Kyowa Kirin, a Japan-based global specialty pharmaceutical company, has announced the Board of Directors’ decision to appoint Abdul Mullick, PhD, currently President and Chief Operating Officer (COO), to the role of President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
The appointment will become effective March 2026 following the conclusion of the Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders. As Dr Mullick takes on the role of President and CEO for Kyowa Kirin, current CEO Masashi Miyamoto, PhD, remains Chairman.
In his new role as CEO, Dr Mullick will focus on driving execution of the company’s Vision for 2030 in the focus disease areas of Bone/Mineral, Intractable Haematological Diseases/Haemato-Oncology and Rare Diseases.
Dr Mullick joined Kyowa Kirin in 2017 and served as President of the Europe / Middle East / Africa region, based in Marlow, United Kingdom, before relocating to Japan in 2023 to lead the business outside of Japan. He was nominated as COO in October 2024 and confirmed in the role in March 2025. His time at Kyowa Kirin was proceeded by a long career in pharma, including increasing leadership roles across the globe for major pharmaceutical companies, including Sanofi and Novartis.
Dr Mullick will be based in the company’s Global headquarters in Tokyo, where he has lived since 2023. He is originally from the United Kingdom and holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Bristol, and a BSc in Molecular Biology from Kingston University, both in the UK.
