Wakunaga of America Co. Ltd. (kyolic.com), one of the world’s largest producers of a wide range of medicinal herbal supplements, probiotics and other nutritional products, announced organizational changes in its executive management team.

Mr. Kazuhiko (Kazu) Nomura, formerly executive vice president of Wakunaga of America, has been promoted to president and CEO of Wakunaga of America, effective March 28, 2014. Mr. Nomura will be responsible for leading corporate planning, research and development, domestic and overseas sales and marketing, manufacturing and supply chain management, human resources, finance and legal, as well as the overall operation of Wakunaga of America.

Mr. Nomura joins Wakunaga of America after more than 30 years of experience at Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., the largest pharmaceutical company in Japan, where he held many significant and diverse business development positions including senior director, executive vice president and president at various Takeda business units. At Takeda, Mr. Nomura was responsible for managing large numbers of employees, and accomplished many corporate projects and goals by setting clear visions, motivating employees and developing many successful business relationships.

“I’m very excited to help lead Wakunaga of America into the next frontier, strengthening our research and product development capabilities, improving our manufacturing efficiencies, as well as growing our overall sales and distribution in all channels,” says Mr. Nomura. “I would like to reinforce the history of our company, including our commitment to high-quality, effective products supported by strong scientific substantiation, while also focusing on new areas of growth for our company’s future successes.”

Mr. Nomura’s educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in law from the University of Kyoto, in Japan, as well as an MBA from the International Institute for Management Development in Switzerland. Mr. Nomura’s sales and management experience spanned roles and responsibilities in various countries such as Japan, the U.S., UK, Philippines and Italy.

“This announcement represents the next step in the evolution of Wakunaga of America,” says Albert Dahbour, vice president and chief sales officer at Wakunaga of America. “I am very impressed with the education and business experience that Mr. Nomura brings to Wakunaga of America. His past leadership and success in global business development will certainly allow Wakunaga to expand activities in existing and new markets worldwide.”

Wakunaga of America also announced the retirement of Dr. Hiromichi Sumiyoshi, effective March 27, 2014. Dr. Sumiyoshi has previously served various roles at Wakunaga of America including president and CEO, executive vice president and senior director of R&D. Dr. Sumiyoshi has approximately 40 years of experience working for Wakunaga Pharmaceutical Japan.