Takeda Vietnam: Improving people's health with the philosophy of 'Vietnamese bamboo'

March 27, 2025 10:00

Takeda Pharmaceutical Vietnam Co., Ltd. has just officially appointed Mr. Benjamin Ping as General Director. Mr. Benjamin has more than 20 years of senior management experience in the pharmaceutical industry in markets such as Singapore, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Dubai.

With a leadership mindset focused on innovation and enhanced collaboration, Mr. Benjamin is expected to further promote Takeda's positive contributions to the Vietnamese healthcare industry. Takeda Vietnam believes that Mr. Benjamin's dedication and experience will contribute to significant improvements in the healthcare journey for Vietnamese people.

Regarding the above content, a reporter from the Government Electronic Newspaper had an interview with Mr. Benjamin Ping, General Director of Takeda Vietnam.

Mr. Benjamin Ping, General Director of Takeda Vietnam: "Takeda's development strategy will be flexible and sustainable like Vietnamese bamboo". Photo: VGP

Flexible and sustainable strategy like Vietnamese bamboo

Hello Mr. Benjamin Ping, welcome to Vietnam as the new General Director. Could you share your first impressions of our country, as well as what motivated you to decide to join Takeda Vietnam?

Mr. Benjamin Ping: I have visited Vietnam many times and am very impressed with the people, culture and cuisine. As a Singaporean who has been working overseas for the past three years, returning to Southeast Asia feels like coming home. From a professional perspective, I am truly impressed by Vietnam’s remarkable economic growth. I look forward to contributing to this growth, bringing Takeda’s innovative therapies and vaccines closer to the people of Vietnam.

As I learned more about Vietnamese culture, the image of bamboo left a deep impression on me. Bamboo - a symbol of resilience, strength and adaptability - are the qualities that Takeda always strives for. The bamboo, with its strong roots representing the company's core values, its trunk representing the pillar role of Takeda employees, and its bendable branches representing the company's flexible strategies.

I would like to use this metaphor to help you visualize my vision when leading Takeda Vietnam. That is to take the company's mission and core values as the foundation while still flexibly adapting to meet the changing healthcare needs of the people.

Can you share more about Takeda's corporate philosophy?

Mr. Benjamin Ping: Takeda builds a solid corporate foundation to deliver long-term value with a philosophy passed down through generations. Our group was founded in 1781, starting with the sale of traditional Japanese and Chinese medicines in Japan, following the principle of 'SANPO-YOSHI' (beneficial to seller, buyer and society). This principle has been preserved and developed by generations of Takeda leaders for over 240 years.

Today, Takeda's corporate philosophy clearly articulates why we exist (Takeda's purpose), where we are going (Takeda's vision), and how we can realize our vision (core values).

The three pillars of 'Patients, People and Planet' are the guiding principles and investment directions of Takeda to realize the purpose of the enterprise. More importantly, we understand that Takeda cannot go on this journey alone but needs to cooperate with partners in Vietnam to realize these goals, continue to maintain the principle of 'SANPO-YOSHI', bringing value to Vietnam, the people and Takeda.

How does Takeda's global corporate philosophy guide the company's commitment to patients, and how is this philosophy implemented in Vietnam?

Mr. Benjamin Ping: Takeda's global philosophy is centered on our commitment to delivering innovative therapies to patients. We prioritize patient-centered innovation, ensuring that our drug and vaccine development processes meet the real needs of patients.

In Vietnam, we apply this philosophy to address domestic healthcare challenges, increasing access to cutting-edge therapies in the areas of rare diseases, oncology, neurology, plasma therapies and vaccines.

For example, the deployment of the dengue vaccine demonstrates our commitment to addressing vector-borne diseases, which are on the rise due to the impacts of climate change.

At the same time, Takeda also focuses on ensuring patients have access to medical services, drugs and vaccines, through applying a tiered pricing policy, based on the level of economic development and health system of each country.

Takeda places a strong emphasis on people in its corporate philosophy. How does this translate into its employee development and diversity strategies in Vietnam?

Mr. Benjamin Ping: Takeda believes that people are our most valuable asset. Our philosophy reflects our commitment to building a culture of lifelong learning, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Every day, Takeda employees work according to our core values, based on “Takeda-ism” – including: Integrity, Fairness, Honesty, and Perseverance, with integrity at the core. We act according to the principles of “Patient – Trust – Reputation – Business”.

The order of this principle is important to me, and it really reflects how we make decisions at Takeda. It is something I am proud of and remind my team about regularly. Every employee, regardless of position, has a responsibility to adhere to the highest ethical standards, because our actions affect the most important thing for people - their health.

Takeda is always a pioneer in applying data and digital technology to promote innovation and improve treatment outcomes for patients. Photo: VGP

Bringing modern technology into treatment and health care

“The Planet” is also an important pillar in Takeda’s philosophy. Can you share about the company’s sustainability goals and how they are implemented in Vietnam?

Mr. Benjamin Ping: Takeda's commitment to environmental sustainability is reflected in its ambitious goals of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions across Takeda's operations by 2035 and across the entire value chain by 2040. Takeda integrates environmental considerations into its product development and operations through initiatives such as its "Sustainability by Design" program.

For example, Takeda is committed to scaling up its Plasma Therapy (PDT) business while minimizing its environmental impact. Notable achievements include the opening of a zero-emissions BioLife plasma donation center in Linz, Austria, and significant reductions in emissions, water consumption, and energy use at BioLife centers in the United States.

In Vietnam, we are aligning our domestic strategies with our global goals by evaluating options to reduce our environmental impact across the entire value chain. The deployment of the dengue vaccine is a testament to Takeda’s efforts to address health issues related to climate change. By working with the Vietnamese government and local partners, Takeda aims to contribute to national solutions to enhance climate resilience and environmental sustainability. Takeda’s offices in Vietnam are also carefully selected to meet LEED (Green Standard) and WELL (Occupant Health and Well-Being) standards.

We have heard a lot about Takeda's "digital capabilities". Can you explain more about this concept, as well as how Takeda leverages data and digital technology to improve operational efficiency and patient engagement globally, especially in Vietnam?

Mr. Benjamin Ping: Takeda is a pioneer in using data and digital technologies to drive innovation and improve patient outcomes. Our global digital transformation initiatives include virtual clinical trials, AI-powered drug development, and digital patient support programs. These efforts are designed to increase access to and diversity in clinical research while optimizing our operations.

In Vietnam, we are applying these technologies to enhance patient engagement and support. For example, we are researching and implementing digital tools to provide personalized education and support to patients, helping them manage their health more effectively.

By leveraging technology, we aim to create an easy, friendly experience for patients and healthcare facilities, thereby improving treatment outcomes in Vietnam and the region. In addition, we are researching digital tools to support employees to work more effectively, focus on value-added tasks, and better serve patients.

Thank you very much./.

* Content provided by Takeda Pharmaceutical Vietnam Co., Ltd. C-ANPROM/VN/NON/0011 Mar 2025

Source: https://baolangson.vn/takeda-viet-nam-nang-cao-suc-khoe-nguoi-dan-voi-triet-ly-cay-tre-viet-nam-5042255.html