Otsuka Pharmaceuticals |

At Otsuka, doing things differently, and for the better, is an integral part of our company culture and heritage. Through creativity, innovation, listening and perseverance we constantly strive to create the healthcare solutions of tomorrow, aiming to improve the lives of millions of people across the globe.

We work flexibly and many of our Interns will be placed in European teams, so you will get international projects and responsibilities as part of your role with us. We will be running a development programme for you as part of our commitment to excellence in everything we do.

We have a great benefits scheme offering discounts on high street shops and restaurants. You will be offered a Mentor as part of joining our programme.

What makes us different?

At Otsuka, doing things differently, and for the better, is an integral part of our company culture and heritage. Through creativity, innovation, listening and perseverance we constantly strive to create the healthcare solutions of tomorrow, aiming to improve the lives of millions of people across the globe.Working within a framework, where integrity and ethics are paramount, we also embrace out of the box thinking offering our people a unique place to work alongside others who crave the opportunity to solve some of the greatest challenges in healthcare. If you are a determined individual who aspires to work in a non-traditional environment, we would love you to join the Otsuka family!

Our Working Environment

In 2023 Otsuka Pharmaceutical Europe's offices were re-located to offices based in central Windsor, just outside London.We provide a work environment that is inspiring, friendly, vibrant and dynamic, allowing employees to enjoy their work and for creativity to thrive.We are particularly proud of our meeting spaces, room technology, and unique use of space to encourage creative thinking and collaboration between colleagues whether in or out of the office.

Otsuka-people creating new products for better health worldwide

At Otsuka integrity and ethics are paramount. We take pride in tackling difficult challenges, not following others and taking the road less travelled. We encourage our people to think differently, be creative, be curious, entrepreneurial and always open to new ideas or perspectives.Our guiding principles of ‘Jissho’, ‘Sozosei’ and ‘Ryukan-godo’ are at the heart of everything we do, helping to drive our work of discovery.

Our Otsuka logo

Our logo is comprised of two shapes and is a symbolic representation of the company’s corporate philosophy. The large blue shape, which comes from the first letter of Otsuka, represents the sky. The blue graduation signifies openness, freedom, intelligence and the future. The small ‘o’ in red is intended to represent the focused energy of Otsuka.

Thinking Differently

At our Tokushima office, the balancing cedar tree, giant tomato trees and floating stone monuments remind us to always try to think beyond the conventional, free our minds to explore and encourage us to take on seemingly impossible challenges to help us unlock our true potential. By nurturing the creative potential of our people, we encourage them to push the boundaries of their knowledge and to persevere with their ideas.

Balancing Cedar Tree

Creativity can overcome seemingly impossible problems. Despite being delicately balanced, this cedar tree sculpture withstood violent shaking during a major earthquake in 1995.

Giant Tomato Trees

Normally, a tomato plant produces 50-60 fruits during its lifespan when grown in soil but if you use hydroponic cultivation instead you can unlock the tomato plant’s potential and produce 10,000 tomatoes.

Floating Stones

Oversized stones appear to float on a wide expanse of water, representing the power that can be harnessed by creative approaches.

From humble beginnings to a global company

Our story of discovery began in 1921 when Busaburo Otsuka, the son of a farmer, broke tradition and created a factory manufacturing chemical raw materials in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan. Back then the company had just ten employees. By 1946 his son, Masahito, had turned the business into an intravenous (IV) solution company, which became the largest supplier of IV solutions to hospitals in Japan. In 1964, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. was established. Today the Otsuka Group has over 47,000 employees worldwide, and our headquarters are based in Tokyo.Over the last century Otsuka has experienced an extraordinary evolution. What began as a small chemical supply business in Japan is now a global organisation with thousands of employees.

Our Key Milestones

• 1921 - The beginning... Busaburo Otsuka, the son of a farmer in Tokushima, Japan, took a leap of faith from family tradition and founded Otsuka, a business supplying chemicals from the sea. The company had just ten employees.
• 1946 - Business adapted to focus on IV solutions, Within just 25 years, Otsuka was transformed into a leading supplier of IV solutions, distributing products to hospitals across Japan.
• 1964 - Establishment of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. was established in Tokushima.
• 1971 - R&D is born, As Otsuka continued to evolve, the first research and development institute was established in Tokushima.
• 1974 - Expansion into Europe. Now operating on a global scale, Otsuka expanded into Europe, initially setting up operations in Italy and Spain. Today Otsuka has offices in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the Nordics and BeNeLux regions.
• 1997 - European Establishment - Otsuka Pharmaceutical Europe Ltd. (OPEL) was established in 1997, based just outside London.
• 1998 - Otsuka Museum of Art - Otsuka Museum of Art, a ceramic art museum opened in Naruto, Tokushima. It houses over one thousand reproduction masterpieces of major works of art, including a full-size replica of the Sistine Chapel.
• 2008 - Tatsuo Higuchi appointed - Tatsuo Higuchi appointed as President, Representative Director, Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd.
• 2010 - Tokyo Stock Exchange Listing - Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd. is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. This was the biggest stock flotation ever undertaken in the global pharmaceutical sector at the time.
• 2021 - A century of innovation - In 2021 we celebrated Otsuka’s 100th anniversary: 100 years of creativity, innovation and creating healthcare solutions.
  

We are committed to ensuring that our employees are consistently supported in their development. We provide access to learning resources to enhance capabilities and drive optimal performance every day.In addition, we offer a range of lifestyle and wellbeing options for our employees:

• Private Medical Insurance
• Competitive Annual Leave entitlement
• Flexible working hours
• Employee assistance programme

Employee wellbeing is very important to us at Otsuka, and we have numerous resources to support mental, physical and financial wellbeing of all our employees. These range from offering on-site fitness classes to providing financial advice.

The Otsuka group employs around 47,000 people worldwide, with more than half of these based outside of Japan. Across this network we foster a diverse and inclusive culture.

In Europe, our Otsuka Values were co-created by over 100 Otsuka employees from across our European organisation. Our values act as the moral compass of our culture, guiding us in our mission and informing everything we do.

• Integrity
• Compassion
• Collaboration
• Excellence
• Creativity

Built by Otsuka people, these values are our commitments to our patients and to the organisations we collaborate with and to each other.Click on the tiles below to view Otsuka’s European Code of Conduct and to access Otsuka’s Speak Up platform.