Osaka, Osaka, Japan, October 2025 — Robin Shankar has been appointed as Head of Talent Acquisition North East Asia at Bayer, marking a new chapter in his distinguished career in global talent leadership. In his new role, Robin will oversee talent acquisition strategies across multiple markets in the North East Asia region, with a focus on building diverse, high-performing teams and advancing Bayer’s talent and employer brand agenda in line with its global people vision.
Robin has been with Bayer for nearly eight years, holding key leadership roles in Japan. As Head of Talent Acquisition Japan, he spearheaded several strategic initiatives including the launch of Bayer’s first Employee Referral Program — a project that saved the organization over $1 million USD in agency fees and earned him the Bayer Holdings’ Top Performance Award. He also implemented innovative programs such as Interview Training for hiring managers, redesigned Bayer’s careers website, and enhanced the quality of hire and candidate experience. His commitment to fostering talent excellence is reflected in the company’s rising offer acceptance rate, which improved to 93% under his leadership.
Before this, he served as Senior Global Recruiter at Bayer, managing mid-career recruitment across Japan and leading a team of recruiters. He successfully organized global hiring events, strengthened employer branding, and drove cross-border recruitment collaborations.
Earlier, Robin worked with Eli Lilly and Company, where he led global MBA recruitment efforts, managed Japan-focused recruitment programs, and was selected for the prestigious Global Future Leader Program. During his tenure, he handled full-cycle recruitment for more than 140 employees, executed global recruitment strategies across the U.S. and Europe, and enhanced employer branding for Lilly Japan.
Prior to that, Robin served in HR leadership roles at SoftBank Mobile and Asahi Group Holdings, where he was responsible for global HR strategy, recruitment process standardization, and cross-cultural training initiatives across multiple regions including Southeast Asia, China, and the U.S. His early career included roles in sales and international relations, where he developed a deep appreciation for multicultural engagement and talent mobility.
About Bayer
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life sciences, particularly in healthcare and nutrition. The company is dedicated to addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges through innovation, science, and sustainable development. With a mission to “Advance Life,” Bayer continues to pioneer transformative solutions that enhance health, empower well-being, and improve nutrition for communities around the world.
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