Jeff Winton is the senior vice president, corporate affairs, and chief communications officer at Tokyo-based global biopharmaceutical company Astellas Pharma, one of the two largest healthcare companies in Japan and a top 20 global biopharmaceutical company.
In this role that he has held since 2013, Winton is responsible for creating and now leading a multi-faceted corporate affairs function that includes executive communications; patient advocacy; product communications; corporate, brand and reputation communications and management; corporate social responsibility; government affairs and policy; and corporate events.
In addition to leading corporate affairs, Winton serves on the company’s Management Committee. Prior to joining Astellas, Winton served as vice president and head of global communications at Eli Lilly and Company. There, Winton was responsible for providing company-wide global strategic leadership for all communications, and he was a member of the Lilly Global Corporate Affairs Leadership Team.
Before joining Eli Lilly and Company, Winton was managing partner of West Mill Consulting, LLC. Winton has also served as chief communications officer at Schering-Plough (acquired by Merck) and Pharmacia (acquired by Pfizer). During his 37 years in the business, Winton also worked for prominent public relations and advertising agencies.
Winton graduated with distinction from Cornell University with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture and the life sciences. In addition, he has completed several graduate-level courses at Union Theological Seminary/Columbia University in New York.
Winton is involved in various professional organizations, including Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), PRSA Health Academy (Board Member), The Seminar and Arthur W. Page Society.
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