Takeda Pharmaceuticals has announced the creation of a new position of chief operating officer (COO) for French national Christophe Weber, who will take up the position in April 2014, and is also described in the firm's 30 November press release as a "candidate" for chief executive officer (CEO). Weber is currently the president of vaccines at GlaxoSmithKline, and CEO of GSK Biologicals SA in Belgium. Current Takeda president and CEO Yasuchika Hasegawa will be named chairman and CEO.