Rewarding Innovation, Enabling Access: Interview with Shaun Nomame - General Manager, Takeda, South Africa

Meeting highlights

• Personal Mission Aligned with Takeda: Shaun joined Takeda to deepen his impact on patient lives, drawn by the company’s patient-first values, global heritage, and commitment to innovation and people-centered decision-making.
• Vision for South Africa: He aims to position Takeda South Africa as a sustainable healthcare partner that brings innovative treatments to both public and private sectors, while also contributing to system-wide strengthening and equitable access.
• Collaboration as a Core Strategy: Emphasizing a partnership model, Shaun seeks to work closely with government, NGOs, and private sector players—co-creating solutions rather than acting in isolation, particularly around major reforms such as the National Health Insurance (NHI).
• Inspiring the Next Generation: Personally committed to diversity, inclusion, and talent development, Shaun views his leadership role as a platform to mentor future leaders, build internal capabilities, and ensure that investment in people yields broader societal benefits.

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EF: What attracted you to Takeda?  

SN:  Takeda is deeply tied to my personal mission — creating meaningful impact. Throughout my career, I’ve taken on roles of increasing responsibility, but each one has centered around purpose and driving positive change. When the opportunity at Takeda arose, I saw it as a chance to amplify that impact globally.

Takeda’s 244-year heritage as one of the world’s oldest pharmaceutical companies embodies a powerful legacy of resilience, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to patients. What drew me to Takeda is its clear and inspiring mission — Better Health for a Brighter Future. This purpose-driven approach, rooted in a deep dedication to science, people, and sustainability, makes Takeda not just a company, but a truly meaningful platform to create a lasting impact on global health.

Additionally, being part of an organisation that strives for innovation to improve healthcare worldwide is quite attractive. Takeda is known as a top employer in many countries. It’s great to be part of an organization that puts its people at the center. Another aspect that is attractive about Takeda is its decision-making framework, which includes the PTRB model: Patient, Trust, Reputation, and Business. They are very specific, and it is in that order. We always prioritize the patient’s needs.  It’s not just a philosophy on paper; you can feel it in how the organization operates. Even in my first few months, I’ve experienced this mindset in action, reinforcing why this is such a uniquely values-driven and forward-looking company.

EF: What do you hope to achieve in this new role? How will you create an impact in South Africa at Takeda?

SN: From a broad perspective, we are bringing innovation, and we know healthcare systems are under pressure. We strive to bring sustainable solutions that ensure South African patients, whether in the private or public sector, have access to the innovation we are bringing. Part of that includes Takeda’s tiered pricing philosophy, which aims to make treatments more accessible. But it is also about how we collaborate with and strengthen the healthcare system. In developing countries like South Africa, even if medicines were given for free, some of the basic structures needed in the system do not exist. Therefore, we need to strengthen the healthcare system to ensure that patients can sustainably access innovative treatments.

Ultimately, for me, it’s about creating partnerships and developing long-lasting, sustainable access solutions.  It is imperative that we adopt a new approach to healthcare. We must explore sustainable strategies to support healthcare delivery and recognize healthcare not merely as a cost, but as a vital investment in the well-being and future of the population.

Achieving this requires collaboration across the entire ecosystem. While pharma plays a critical role, we must actively engage with a broad range of stakeholders to drive meaningful and lasting impact—an approach fully aligned with Takeda’s commitment to innovation, patient-centricity, and sustainable healthcare solutions.

EF: How do you see 2025, and what can we expect from you this year?

SN: Taking on this role marks the beginning of an important new chapter, and I am honored to lead Takeda South Africa in advancing our mission of Better Health for a Brighter Future. I am excited by the opportunity to inspire and develop the next generation of leaders, building on Takeda’s legacy of integrity, innovation, and patient-centricity. While I am recognized as part of this next generation, I deeply value the experience of working alongside exceptional leaders throughout my career. My focus now is to draw from those insights—as foundational building blocks—and thoughtfully apply them to empower and inspire others within our organization to drive meaningful impact for patients and communities.

The diversity and inclusion agenda is also very important to me personally. Reflecting on South Africa’s rich and complex history, the critical question is: How do we cultivate leadership in healthcare that authentically reflects the diverse patients we serve? This means embracing individuals from all backgrounds, ethnicities, and life experiences because true innovation and impact arise from diversity. My goal is to inspire others to see this vision clearly—to say, "That is where I want to be, that is how I want to create meaningful impact." Together, by fostering inclusive leadership, we can build a healthcare system that is not only equitable but also stronger, more compassionate, and truly patient-centric.

From an organizational perspective, there are three main aspects I am looking at. First, how can I position Takeda South Africa as a key healthcare partner within the South African healthcare system, one that is helping shape it for the betterment of patients? Second, how do we bring innovation to South Africa in a sustainable and responsible manner, ensuring long-term access to life-changing treatments while building a resilient and sustainable business?   Several innovative pharmaceutical companies have withdrawn from the South African market. Our goal is to ensure that Takeda remains a committed, long-term partner—one that not only continues to serve patients but also builds a sustainable and resilient business that contributes meaningfully to the country’s healthcare landscape.  Lastly, we must recognize that our employees are central to our success. It is crucial that Takeda remains relevant by making a meaningful contribution to the society we serve, extending beyond medicines and innovation.

Regarding the G20, I particularly appreciate the narrative that Africa can become a hub for talent and innovation. We are active contributors, shaping answers to challenges that are unique to our context. The solutions we need must come from within, informed by our realities. The G20 offers a critical platform to amplify South Africa’s voice, and with universal healthcare as a key pillar, it’s a timely opportunity to champion equitable, inclusive, and sustainable progress for our people.

Universal healthcare is an important topic for all of us. In the G20, it is specifically focused on primary healthcare which is especially significant. It reminds us that building strong healthcare systems starts with getting the fundamentals right. When primary healthcare is robust, it creates efficiency, resilience, and trust in the system. It also unlocks the ability to invest in innovation—ensuring that patients not only receive essential care but also gain access to the latest life-changing treatments. It’s a powerful foundation for delivering on both equity and progress.

South Africa, especially in the public sector, is unique in that it bears a significant burden on the healthcare system, with a substantial focus on primary healthcare. If you improve efficiencies in primary healthcare, you can redistribute some of those resources to innovation. And once we have more innovation in the country, it will attract global investment. It also helps retain the multinational pharmaceutical companies already in South Africa, as it becomes a significant investment opportunity. So, when you think about it, it is much broader than just healthcare. It is about being a force for the entire ecosystem and the society we serve.

EF: How are you working with different healthcare stakeholders, and what are your main priorities in those partnerships?

SN: Collaboration is at the heart of Takeda’s strategy in South Africa. Drawing inspiration from the African proverb, “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together,” we are committed to building enduring partnerships that drive meaningful impact.

Our foremost priority is to position Takeda South Africa as a trusted partner within the national healthcare system. This involves active engagement with government entities, particularly in the context of the National Health Insurance (NHI) initiative. By aligning with governmental priorities, we aim to contribute constructively to the evolution of the healthcare landscape, ensuring that our collaborations are solution-driven and responsive to the needs of the public sector.

Beyond governmental partnerships, we recognize the vital roles of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector. In collaboration with NGOs, we seek to implement targeted initiatives that address specific health challenges, leveraging their on the ground expertise to enhance patient outcomes. Simultaneously, we are committed to supporting the private healthcare sector, acknowledging its pressures and striving to be a partner that adds value beyond pharmaceutical offerings.

EF: As an innovative company with a strong pipeline, how do you envision the current pathway for introducing innovation into the country, and what steps need to be taken to move it forward?

SN: Innovation is undeniably the cornerstone of addressing future healthcare challenges. As a company with a strong pipeline, we believe that successfully introducing innovation into South Africa requires a foundational shift in mindset—viewing healthcare not as a cost but as a long-term investment. Rewarding innovation must be central to this ecosystem shift, as it enables us to build solutions for evolving healthcare needs. Without this transformation, future healthcare solutions may lag behind the challenges posed by evolving diseases. 

To unlock the potential of innovation in South Africa, it begins with a mindset shift, where healthcare’s value is understood comprehensively and innovation is rewarded appropriately. This shift involves recognizing the value innovation brings, where a monetary framework is assigned, and the ecosystem as a whole is considered. Today, payers might evaluate medicine costs separately from hospitalization costs, which creates fragmented decision-making. By viewing the entire healthcare system holistically, we can identify opportunities for efficiency and improvement that drive impact across all areas of care.

A pivotal enabler of this transformation lies in the shift to a single-payer model, which could fundamentally reshape how innovation is perceived. With one payer overseeing the full continuum of care, it becomes possible to identify where innovation adds value, driving efficiencies and outcomes across the healthcare system. From the pharmaceutical side, we need to do more to demonstrate to the South African healthcare system that we are a true partner. It is about shaping that narrative, becoming a partner, and then co-creating solutions together. Developing solutions in isolation and attempting to integrate them later often leads to inefficiency and missed opportunities. By working together from the start—listening, aligning, and designing solutions collaboratively—we enhance our chances of success and ensure innovations deliver meaningful, sustainable benefits for patients and the healthcare ecosystem."

EF: What are you most excited about in this new role?

SN: It is about the opportunity to inspire others At Takeda, our core values of Integrity, Fairness, Honesty, and Perseverance guide everything we do, fueling our commitment to Better Health for a Brighter Future. This role gives me the chance to act as a catalyst for collaboration and transformation, reshaping the narrative of innovative pharma in South Africa. My focus is on empowering my team—creating a culture that encourages risk-taking, innovation, and growth. By upskilling and building their capabilities, they can become leaders at the forefront, engaging healthcare professionals and driving better access for patients.

This creates a ripple effect, where investing in our people becomes an indirect investment in society, ensuring patients benefit from improved access to treatments. Ultimately, what excites me most is working together to spark change, fostering meaningful impact for the healthcare system, our people, and the broader community.