Our world-class leadership team consists of innovative and strategic individuals who continue to push the boundaries of cell and gene therapy manufacturing. They are all committed to better serving our clients and supplying therapeutics to patients across the globe.
Together they have more than 100 years of experience in cell and gene therapy and the healthcare sector. Read their profiles below.
The leaders in our Management Strategic Council include our General Manager and region-specific executive leaders. They work together collaboratively to serve our clients.
Those within our Global Functional Team are leaders of global functions who align across all our regions.
Hiroto Bando, PhD, is General Manager, Regenerative Medicine Business Sector of Resonac Corporation as well as President and CEO of Minaris Regenerative Medicine Co., Ltd. (Japan) and Minaris Regenerative Medicine, LLC (United States). Hiroto brings the company over 20 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical industry.
In November 2020, Hiroto joined the company as Deputy General Manager, Regenerative Medicine Business of Resonac Corporation (then Showa Denko Materials Co., Ltd.), and was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Minaris (Japan) in August 2021. He was appointed to the role of President and Chief Executive Officer of Minaris (United States) in January 2022.
Previously, Hiroto worked at Fujifilm as Senior Manager, Pharmaceutical Products Division to initiate CDMO business via Fujifilm’s own technologies. He has also spent almost 22 years of his career at Takeda Pharmaceutical Company in roles of increasing responsibility, including Senior Director and Global Head of Cell Manufacturing Strategy for the company’s Regenerative Medicine Unit from 2016-2018. Hiroto was the chairman of the Committee for Non-Clinical Safety Evaluation of Pluripotent Stem Cell-derived Product in FIRM (Forum for Innovative Regenerative Medicine), which is funded from AMED (Agency for Medical Research and Development).
Hiroto received his PhD in pharmaceutical science at Kyoto University and performed post-doctoral work at the College of Pharmacy at the University of Texas. He also holds an MBA from Kenichi Ohmae Graduate School of Business.
Takuya Muramoto, PhD, is Chief Operating Officer of Minaris Regenerative Medicine, Co., Ltd. (Japan). An accomplished leader with over 15 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical industry, Takuya brings the company extensive knowledge of cell therapy manufacturing and supply chain.
Prior to joining the company, Takuya most recently served at Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd. as director of project management for manufacturing process development, technical transfer, and clinical manufacturing of cell and gene therapy product development. Additionally, Takuya has experience of cell manufacturing strategy, PMDA* consulting, and autologous CAR T-cell therapies supply chain establishment. Previously, Takuya has served in project management, manufacturing process development, technology transfer, and process validation in the field of regenerative medicine and biologics.
In January 2022, Takuya was appointed COO of Minaris (Japan). In this role, he is responsible for oversight of our Japanese development and manufacturing operations, including commercialization, expansions, and infrastructure investment.
Takuya received his PhD and Master’s Degree in Biosciences from Nara Institute of Science and Technology and his Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture from Iwate University.
* Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency
Dusan Kosijer is Chief Executive Officer of Minaris Regenerative Medicine GmbH (Germany). Before, he was Managing Director of Minaris (Germany) (formerly named apceth Biopharma GmbH) since 2020, and has served as Chief Operating Officer since 2016. Previously, he was CFO for Accovion GmbH, a Contract Research Organization (CRO) headquartered close to Frankfurt, Germany. Dusan is a Certified Management Accountant by training and has gained more than 15 years’ experience in the healthcare sector.
Luz Rodgers is Global Head, People & Organizational Development of Minaris Regenerative Medicine. Luz is an experienced Human Resources business leader, offering expertise in global organizational development, change management, employee relations, and talent management, with a strong focus on collaborative teamwork and internal business partnerships.
After supporting Minaris Regenerative Medicine, LLC (United States) (formerly named Hitachi Chemical Advanced Therapeutics Solutions) in a contract role, Luz joined the company as Senior Director, Human Resources in September 2018, and was appointed Global Head of People and Organization Development in April 2021. In this role, Luz oversees, directs, and manages HR, development, and engagement of our people. She not only provides senior leadership support for our North America region, but also provides global coordination over people initiatives such as employee retention, diversity and inclusion, succession planning, and more.
Luz brings Minaris over 25 years’ experience in human resources. Most recently, she was Director Human Resources People & Development at Novartis. Prior to this, Luz also held positions at Teva Pharmaceuticals, RR Donnelley, and has extensive experience in human resources consulting. Luz received her BA in Social Work and Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University and holds certifications in ODCP and SPHR, SHRM-SCP. Luz continues to pursue a MHRM from Rutgers University.
Luc St-Onge, PhD, is Global Head of Sales and Marketing of Minaris Regenerative Medicine and Head of Business Development of Minaris Regenerative Medicine GmbH (Germany). Luc is an accomplished business leader, bringing to the company over 25 years’ experience in Business Development.
Luc joined Minaris (Germany) (formerly named apceth Biopharma GmbH) in September 2017 as Head of Business Development and Licensing, and was appointed Global Head of Sales and Marketing in April 2020. In this role, he coordinates the global business development and marketing team across the US, Europe, and Japan, plans and implements harmonized sales and marketing activities, provides senior leadership in client acquisition and contract negotiations, and is responsible for European, as well as global, communication strategies.
Prior to joining Minaris, Luc was Head of Business Development at Ganymed Pharmaceuticals AG during its acquisition by Astellas, and Chief Business Officer at Affectis Pharmaceuticals AG among other positions. He is also a co-founder of Arridad Therapeutics S.L., a biotech start-up. Luc is a molecular biologist by training and received his PhD in Microbiology from the University of Sherbrooke, Canada.
Helmut Lerch, PhD, is Global Quality Head of Minaris Regenerative Medicine since December 1, 2022. He joined the company in July 2022 as Head, Quality Management for Minaris Regenerative Medicine GmbH (the company’s Germany region).
Helmut is an accomplished Quality leader with over twenty years’ experience in the biopharmaceutical industry in Quality roles. Helmut most recently served as Head, Quality Control and then Senior Director, Quality CMC at Alvotech Iceland. Prior to that, he spent two years at Polpharma Biologics as Head, Quality Control and seventeen years at Sandoz/Novartis in roles of increasing responsibility including Global QA Project Manager, Head Compliance Department Biopharma, Head Drug Product Analytics and Supervisor Analytical Laboratory. He received his PhD in Analytical Chemistry from the Leopold Franzens University of Innsbruck in Austria.
Shinji Fujita, who joined our company in 2022 as Business Planning Department Manager, is Global Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Financial Officer of Minaris Regenerative Medicine Co., Ltd. (our Japan region) since Jan 1, 2023.
Shinji has spent twenty years in sales and business development planning at Resonac Corporation (previously under the name Showa Denko Materials and Hitachi Chemical, respectively) in the display/semiconductor business. He was most recently Deputy General Manager of display/semiconductor materials at Resonac Corporation (then Showa Denko Materials). He received his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Systems Engineering from Kansai University.
William Burckardt, CPA is the Chief Financial Officer of Minaris Regenerative Medicine, LLC (USA). William brings over 10 years of experience in the health care and pharmaceutical industries and an extensive background in finance, accounting, audit and tax. William joined Minaris over six years ago as the Corporate Controller for the USA region and then was appointed the Chief Financial Officer, USA, in 2021.
Prior to joining Minaris, William worked at Restorix Health, a provider of wound care centers, as the Director of Accounting where he oversaw the Accounting department and supported the organization through significant growth through mergers and acquisitions. Prior to that he spent more than five years in public accounting performing audit, attestation and tax services for many clients. During this time he received his certification as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
Prakash Manwani is the Chief Digital Officer of Minaris Regenerative Medicine, LLC (USA). Prakash brings over 20 years of experience in Information Technology with extensive experience in strategic planning, developing IT roadmaps, Enterprise Solution architecture, designing and executing software implementations that align with the Business goals of the Organization, with a focus on ERP and integration systems like MES, LIMS, and eQMS. He joined Minaris in 2021.
Prior to joining Minaris, Prakash worked at Catalent Pharma for over seven years. Before that, he worked for Accenture, USA, and has held various consulting roles with MAKO Surgical Devices and PSS/World Medical, Inc. Prakash is a certified Project Manager (PMP) and holds a degree in Digital Electronics and an advanced diploma in Computer Systems Management, both from the National Institute of Information Technology, Mumbai, India.