Leadership

Our management team is a group of highly knowledgeable and experienced experts. All are passionate about animals and people's wellness, and will lead Meiji Animal Health into the future.

Kazuhiko Hirose, D.V.M., Ph.D.
President and Representative Director

Kazuhiko Hirose is the first President and Representative Director of Meiji Animal Health, established in April 2022. His goal is to position the company as the leading provider of animal health solutions by expanding its business globally, emphasizing social responsibility, and implementing strategic human resource management.

After working as a researcher at Kowa Company, Kazuhiko joined Meiji Seika Kaisha (currently Meiji Seika Pharma) in 1992 as a veterinary medicine researcher in the pharmaceutical division. Following his vital work in sales, planning, and the development of veterinary medicines and feed, Kazuhiko became the head of the animal health and feed business and immediately introduced a new swine vaccine to the market as an alternative to antibacterial agents. He was appointed the director of the entire Agricultural and Veterinary Division after the agrochemical business was added to his scope of management and supervision. Later, as the project leader of the animal health business integration within the Meiji Group, Kazuhiko played a central role in establishing Meiji Animal Health in 2022.

Kazuhiko holds a veterinary license and earned his Ph.D. from Kitasato University's Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, studying bovine infectious diseases with a focus on mycoplasma. In addition to his experience as a national government committee member, he also actively contributes to the development and mentorship of future animal health practitioners as a board member in multiple prestigious veterinary societies and animal health industry associations. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time outdoors gardening and observing nature.

Michiharu Yamashita General Manager,
Corporate Department

In July 2024, Michiharu Yamashita became the new General Manager of the Corporate Department. He brings the experience of a career spanning three decades to Meiji Animal Health, starting with Meiji Seika Kaisha (now Meiji Seika Pharma) in 1994. Since then, his journey has taken him through various branch offices and the head office in the Pharmaceutical Sales Division, where he has honed his skills in sales, general and academic affairs, and leadership.

As the General Manager, Michiharu oversees our entire administrative department, including corporate planning, accounting and finance, human resources, and general affairs. His focus is on strengthening the management foundation of our company, ensuring we continue to thrive and grow.

Michiharu's passion for animals goes beyond the office. Growing up with a cat and a dog, he developed a special bond with animals that has only deepened over time. A graduate of Jochi University with a Bachelor of Literature, Michiharu combines business acumen, leadership skills, and a genuine passion for animals, making him a valuable asset to our team.
Yukinori Ueda General Manager,
Supply Chain Management Department

In April 2022, Yukinori Ueda assumed responsibility for logistics operations at Meiji Animal Health. Now, as the General Manager of the Supply Chain Management Department, he focuses on improving supply chain efficiency, stability, and management.

Yukinori joined Meiji Seika Kaisha (currently Meiji Seika Pharma) in 1991. While there, he played a significant role in improving sales and marketing for human pharmaceuticals and supporting branch office sales activities, quickly gaining valuable experience. After developing his sales expertise, Yukinori earned a leadership role in administration by overseeing the veterinary pharmaceutical business. His achievements included successfully enhancing business performance by strengthening the efficiency and effectiveness of the company's operations.

Yukinori earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from Kyushu Tokai University. In his free time, he enjoys relaxing at home with his chinchilla and watching sports.
Masayo Sakai, Pharmacist General Manager,
Reliability Assurance Department General Marketing Compliance Officer

Masayo Sakai is a Reliability Assurance Department General Manager and General Marketing Compliance Officer. She oversees corporate governance and is responsible for building the internal reliability assurance system.

Masayo previously worked at Meiji Seika Kaisha's (currently Meiji Seika Pharma) research institute where she conducted a wide range of research, from exploratory synthesis to formulation, in the veterinary medicine and agrochemical fields. She became the reliability assurance operations lead for veterinary medicine in 2015 and successfully revamped Meiji Seika Pharma's reliability assurance system, leading to a significant improvement in its quality and effectiveness.

Masayo earned a Bachelor of Pharmacy from Hoshi University and a pharmacist's license in 1992. Masayo is an avid watcher of sports and, in her free time, enjoys playing basketball and golf.

Kazuhiro Deguchi, Ph.D. General Manager,
Production Technical Department

Kazuhiro Deguchi is the Production Technical Department General Manager. After joining Meiji Animal Health in April 2022, he supervised supply chain management, ensuring a stable supply of products and inventory levels. After accepting his current position in July 2023, he oversees the management of in-house product manufacturing technology and contract manufacturing outsourcing.

Before joining Meiji Animal Health, Kazuhiro worked for the Chemo-Sero-Therapeutic Research Institute (currently KM Biologics). There, Kazuhiro played a crucial role in developing oil adjuvant vaccines for poultry and, in 2009, began overseeing the bulk production of animal vaccines.

Kazuhiro earned a Ph.D. from Kumamoto University's Graduate School of Science and Technology. He enjoys running and playing golf, which he practices daily to improve his skills.
Kenichi Michishita General Manager,
Research & Development Department

Kenichi Michishita is the General Manager of the Research and Development Department. In this role, he is responsible for developing new products and improving, modifying, and expanding the scope of indicators for existing products.

Before joining Meiji Animal Health in 2022, Kenichi worked at Chemo-Sero-Therapeutic Research Institute (currently KM Biologics) for 20 years. During his time there, he assumed overall responsibility of the animal medicine business, including pharmaceutical development, after playing a pivotal role in product manufacturing, clinical development, and R&D process management for human medicine.

Kenichi earned a Master of Science from Kagoshima University's Graduate School of Science and Engineering. Outside of work, he enjoys playing tennis and spending time with his children and their aquarium of fish.
Masakazu Suzuki General Manager,
Overseas Business Department

Masakazu Suzuki is the General Manager of the Overseas Business Department. He is responsible for both domestic and international product development and the out-licensing of technology and products.

Masakazu joined Meiji Seika Kaisha (currently Meiji Seika Pharma) in 2002. After gaining experience as a sales representative, he joined the head office to oversee veterinary medicine sales planning and product development. Following his success, in October 2020, Masakazu earned a management position leading the product development division.

Masakazu earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from Kagoshima University. His hobbies include watching baseball and traveling.

Shunsuke Yano General Manager,
Sales & Marketing Department

Shunsuke Yano is the General Manager of the Sales and Marketing Department. He joined Meiji Animal Health after it was established in April 2022 as a branch manager supervising the entire Kyushu region. In September, he moved to the head office, where he led sales planning and promotion for sales activities at all branch offices. By January 2023, he had expanded the scope of his sales responsibilities to include academia.

Before Meiji Animal Health, Shunsuke joined Meiji Seika Kaisha (currently Meiji Seika Pharma) in 1990. He gained experience by working at several branches during his time there and later earned a leadership position as a sales office manager.

Shunsuke is a graduate of Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University. His interests outside of work include reading, playing golf, and visiting farms to spend time with the animals.