Takeda Viet Nam: Enhancing public health through bamboo philosophy

Takeda Viet Nam has recently appointed new General Manager Benjamin Ping who is an experienced pharmaceutical executive,  has over 20 years' experience in the pharmaceutical space working in roles of increasing responsibilities over various cities like Singapore, Shanghai, Hong Kong and most recently in Dubai.

His leadership mindset aims to foster innovation and collaboration, ensuring Takeda's positive impactful presence in Viet Nam's healthcare landscape. We look forward to seeing his dedication translate into meaningful improvements in patient care across Viet Nam.

On this occasion, VGP conducted an interview with Takeda Viet Nam General Manager Benjamin Ping.

Flexible and sustainable strategy like Vietnamese bamboos

Warm welcome you to Viet Nam at your new role as General Manager of Takeda Viet Nam. We would like to first understand what inspired you to join the country team, and what are your initial impressions of the country?

General Manager Benjamin Ping: On a personal basis, having visited Viet Nam many times in the past, the culture, people and food were something I could relate to. In addition, as a Singaporean who has been based overseas in the past three years, coming back to SE-Asia was similar to coming home. On a professional perspective, Viet Nam's economic development and growth have been nothing short of astounding and the opportunity to be part of this growth bringing Takeda's portfolio of innovative medical and vaccines to its population was very attractive. As I read more into Viet Nam's culture, Viet Nam's bamboo trees highly resonate with me, symbolizing resilience, strength, and adaptability—a reflection of both the country's spirit and our corporate philosophy. In my view, bamboo represents the strong foundation of values akin to its roots, the pivotal role of our people comparable to its sturdy trunk, and strategic flexibility much like its bending branches. This metaphor encapsulates the essence of how I envision leading Takeda Viet Nam, ensuring we remain rooted in our core mission and values while adapting to evolving healthcare needs.

What is Takeda corporate philosophy from your reflection?

General Manager Benjamin Ping: Takeda has a strong foundation for delivering long-term value and our philosophy passed down through generations. Our history began in 1781 with the sale of traditional Japanese and Chinese medicines in Japan, guided by the principle of SANPO-YOSHI. A principle first practiced by a prominent group of Japanese merchants, it means good for the seller, good for the buyer and good for society. Our successive CEOs have remained true to SANPO-YOSHI in both word and action for more than 240 years while articulating their own way to bring it to life.

Today, Takeda's corporate philosophy articulates why we exist (our purpose), where we are going (our vision) and how we deliver on our vision (our values). Our corporate philosophy imperatives - Patient, People and Planet bring our corporate philosophy to life and guides where Takeda must invest to deliver on our purpose. More importantly, we cannot do this alone, thus Takeda looks to work with relevant stakeholders in the Viet Nam to bring these imperatives to fruition, ensuring that we continue the principles of SANPO-YOSHI by bringing values to Viet Nam, its people and Takeda.

How does Takeda's global corporate philosophy guide your commitments to patients, and how is this philosophy implemented in Viet Nam?

General Manager Benjamin Ping: Takeda's global corporate philosophy is centered around our commitment to delivering life-transforming treatments to patients. We prioritize patient-centric innovation, ensuring that our drug and vaccine development processes are aligned with the needs of patients. In Viet Nam, we tailor this philosophy to address local health challenges by enhancing access to our innovative therapies in rare diseases, oncology, neuroscience, plasma-derived therapies and vaccine. For instance, the introduction of dengue vaccine in the country exemplifies our commitment to addressing vector-borne diseases exacerbated by climate change. Another key area of focus for Takeda is ensuring patients' access to healthcare, medicines and vaccines; this is where Takeda has introduced tiered pricing of our products. At its heart, Tiered Pricing is a framework designed to differentiate price levels based on a country's economic development and health care system maturity.

Takeda places significant emphasis on people within its corporate philosophy. How does this translate into strategies for employee development and diversity in Viet Nam?

General Manager Benjamin Ping: At Takeda, we believe that our people are our greatest asset, and our corporate philosophy reflects this through our commitment to fostering a culture of life-long learning, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I). Takeda people live our values every day which are guided by Takeda-ism, that incorporates Integrity, Fairness, Honesty and Perseverance, with Integrity at the core. They are brought to life through actions based on Patient-Trust- Reputation-Business, in that order. To me, the last three words "in that order" is very powerful and truly reflects how we make decisions in Takeda, and which is something I proudly remind the team on regularly. Every employee, wherever they are in the organization, has a responsibility to meet the highest standards of ethical behavior at all times because everything we do impacts the most vital aspect of people's lives - their health.

Leveraging modern technology to enhance patient treatment and care

Planet is also a key pillar of Takeda's corporate philosophy. Can you elaborate on Takeda's sustainability goals and how they are adapted to the Vietnamese context?

General Manager Benjamin Ping: Takeda's commitment to environmental sustainability is reflected in our ambitious goals to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in our operations by 2035 and across our value chain by 2040. We integrate environmental considerations into product development and operations through initiatives like the Sustainability by Design program. For example, Takeda is committed to scaling its Plasma-Derived Therapies (PDT) business while reducing its environmental footprint. Notable achievements include opening a zero-GHG emissions BioLife donation center in Linz, Austria, and significant reductions in emissions, water consumption, and energy use across U.S. BioLife centers.

In Viet Nam, we are aligning our local strategies with these global goals by assessing options to reduce our environmental footprint across the country's value chain. The deployment of the dengue vaccine is an example of how we are addressing health issues linked to climate change. By collaborating with the Vietnamese government and local partners, we aim to contribute to national solutions for climate resilience and environmental sustainability. Takeda's office was also specifically selected as it met both LEED (Leadership in energy and environmental design) and WELL (supporting health and well-being of its tenants).

We hear a lot about Takeda digital dexterity. Could you explain this concept and how does Takeda leverage data, digital, and technology to enhance its operations and patient engagement globally, and what are the specific applications in Viet Nam?

General Manager Benjamin Ping: Takeda is at the forefront of harnessing data, digital, and technology to drive innovation and improve patient outcomes. Our global digital transformation initiatives include virtual clinical trials, AI-driven drug discovery, and digital patient support programs. These efforts are designed to increase accessibility and diversity in clinical research while optimizing our operations. In Viet Nam, we are applying these technologies to enhance patient engagement and support. For example, we are exploring and applying digital tools to provide educational resources and personalized support to patients, ensuring they can manage their health effectively. By leveraging technology, we aim to create a seamless experience for patients and healthcare providers, ultimately improving health outcomes in the region and Viet Nam. In addition, we are exploring various digital tools to augment our employees to do their work more efficiently and productively so that they can focus on more value-added work to better serve patients.

Thank you so much!

(Source: Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited C-ANPROM/VN/NON/0011/ Mar 2025)