Vice president and regional counsel, Asia Pacific | Kenvue
Koji Tsurumi
Vice president and regional counsel, Asia Pacific | Kenvue
What are the most significant cases, projects and/or transactions that you and/or your legal team have recently been involved in?
Among the various assignments that our legal team and I have handled recently, our involvement in the business area of radioligand therapy, a highly innovative technology in the cancer domain, stands out as the most significant. This treatment is able to specifically target cancer cells, significantly reducing the patient’s burden compared to traditional chemotherapy. However, as revolutionary as this treatment is, the medical field has not yet been prepared to fully integrate it. Besides the usual tasks such as reviewing general contracts, we have been providing legal support to advance the development of the medical environment necessary for patients to access this groundbreaking therapy. In the field of healthcare, there are stringent regulations regarding the provision of information from companies to healthcare professionals. While strictly adhering to these regulations, we continue to support the improvement of the cancer care environment. This calls for a keen sense of balance and a high level of compliance awareness.
How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crisis to ensure the organisation’s resilience?
During periods of instability or crisis, my approach to managing legal aspects focuses on being proactive, flexible, and resilient. I believe that in times of uncertainty, it is essential for the legal team to step up and provide clear guidance to ensure the organisation maintains its resilience. This involves keeping abreast of evolving laws and regulations, regularly communicating and cooperating with various internal departments, and offering strategic advice to management based on a prudent interpretation of the law. In some cases, where a clear law applicable to the situation does not yet exist, we may need to establish the standards ourselves. It is all about striking a balance: mitigating risks while supporting the organisation’s objectives and development.
Based on your experiences in the past year, are there any trends in the legal or business world that you are keeping an eye on that you think other in-house lawyers should be mindful of?
AI-based solutions will undoubtedly become more practical in the legal and business world, even if they are not fully applicable at present. Their importance is only set to increase in the future. Therefore, it is crucial that we continue to experiment with emerging technologies, regardless of their current effectiveness. If we do not, we risk being left behind and missing out on significant opportunities for dramatic efficiency gains.
How does your team contribute to the overall business strategy of the company? Can you share an example of a recent legal-led initiative that had a significant impact?
My team has led a shift in our business strategy, moving beyond a sole focus on sales to prioritising the health and safety of our employees as well. Specifically, there has often been a significant power imbalance in the relationships between physicians and pharmaceutical companies, creating an environment where it is difficult for employees of pharmaceutical companies to speak up against actions that might be regarded as harassment by physicians. However, we have decided to adopt a firm stance against such customer harassment to ensure the health and safety of our employees. This approach reflects the recent change in mindset within Japanese society, moving away from the long-held belief that ‘the customer is god’ and recognising that customer harassment should not be tolerated.
Vice president regional counsel, Asia Pacific | Kenvue
