DIA (founded as the Drug Information Association), a member-driven volunteer organization driving thought leadership in global healthcare product development, announced today the appointment of Akio Uemura, Ph.D., as Senior Vice President and Managing Director for DIA Japan. Dr. Uemura will lead DIA's strategic efforts to grow and evolve thought leadership and knowledge platforms in the Japan region.

Prior to joining DIA, Dr. Uemura served in various roles at Allergan Japan, first as Director and Head, Allergan Japan Regulatory Affairs (2008-2013), and then as Executive Director, Head of Japan Development (2013-2018). Before Allergan, Dr. Uemura was Director, Regulatory Policy, Liaison and Intelligence at Eli Lilly Japan, a role he transitioned into from Global Project Team Leader for early clinical phase projects at Eli Lilly & Co in Indianapolis, IN. He has also held other managerial positions at Eli Lilly and Mochida Pharmaceuticals, following a Ph.D. in bioengineering sciences from Osaka University in Japan. Dr. Uemura has been a committed DIA volunteer for many years, serving on our Japan Regional Advisory Council, and participating as a speaker in numerous DIA meetings and conferences.

“Having been a DIA member for many years I am very excited to be joining the DIA Global team, particularly at a time when healthcare is evolving very rapidly in Japan with new technologies such as gene therapy and innovative combination products,” said Dr. Uemura. “I feel very privileged to be part of an organization that is at the forefront of sciences providing its members and the industry with key insights to succeed in a healthcare environment that is constantly progressing.”

"We are honored to welcome Dr. Uemura to DIA. We look forward to leveraging the breadth and depth of his experience and expertise to raise the impact of DIA across our stakeholder community of academia, industry, regulators, policy makers, payers, and, most importantly, patients, as we work towards our shared mission to accelerate the development and delivery of safe and effective therapies in Japan and around the globe,” said Barbara Lopez Kunz, Global Chief Executive, DIA.

Connect with Dr. Akio Uemura on LinkedIn.