FUJIFILM Holdings America Corporation has announced a significant leadership reshuffle across its life sciences business, sharpening its focus on cell therapy manufacturing and iPSC-based innovation as demand accelerates in advanced therapeutics and drug discovery.

 

In a key move, Tomoyuki Hasegawa has been appointed CEO of FUJIFILM Biotechnologies California, a global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) for biologics and advanced therapies. 

 

He will continue in his dual roles as General Manager of the Fujifilm Life Sciences Strategic Office and Chairman and CEO of FUJIFILM Cellular Dynamics, reinforcing his central position in Fujifilm’s cell therapy strategy.

 

“For the last four years, Hasegawa has led FUJIFILM Cellular Dynamics’ advance in innovation in regenerative medicine and life sciences, helping build the technologies and partnerships that are shaping the future of healthcare. He has been with Fujifilm for over 25 years, serving in several leadership roles throughout the company, both in Japan and the United States.”

 

His expanded mandate comes as Fujifilm scales its cell therapy footprint in the United States, including the recent opening of FUJIFILM Cellular Dynamics’ new headquarters and iPSC development and manufacturing facility in Madison, Wisconsin. 

 

The site expands production capacity for induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) products and strengthens support for drug discovery tools increasingly used in New Approach Methods (NAMs).

 

At the same time, Delara Motlagh, previously Chief Operating Officer of FUJIFILM Cellular Dynamics, has been promoted to President, adding executive oversight of the business to her remit. Since joining in April 2025, she has led strategy, execution, and operations across both discovery research and cell therapy CDMO divisions globally.

 

“Motlagh brings more than two decades of industry experience spanning life sciences, strategic leadership, and deep expertise in cell and gene therapy. Prior to joining FUJIFILM Cellular Dynamics, she held senior leadership positions at Catalent Pharma Solutions, Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies, and Baxter Healthcare, with a track record across business strategy, commercial, operations, R&D, and marketing.”

 

Her elevation reflects Fujifilm’s push to deepen leadership in iPSC-based research tools and cell therapy development at a time of rising global demand for advanced biological models and manufacturing partners.

 

Hasegawa will also work closely with newly appointed Chief Operating Officer David Bolish at FUJIFILM Biotechnologies California to strengthen the company’s integrated cell therapy CDMO offering. Bolish, who has served as Site Head since 2018, brings more than two decades of experience in biopharmaceutical manufacturing, engineering, and commercialization.

 

“As one of Fujifilm's most experienced leaders, Tom, is positioned to align our cell therapy offerings across two complementary businesses, thus supporting a truly robust end-to-end cell therapy CDMO experience for our partners,” said Toshihisa Iida, corporate vice president and general manager of Fujifilm’s Life Sciences Strategy Headquarters and Bio CDMO Division.

 

He added, “Delara’s leadership at FUJIFILM Cellular Dynamics comes at a critical time, with growing demand for New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) and need for experienced iPSC partners in therapeutic development. These organizational enhancements are a further investment in scaling Fujifilm’s infrastructure to support the next generation of cell-based research and therapeutics in the U.S.”

 

The leadership changes underscore Fujifilm’s broader strategy: consolidating expertise across its life sciences divisions to accelerate innovation in regenerative medicine, cell therapy manufacturing, and next-generation drug discovery platforms.