Bayer's Asia brand strategy lead for consumer health departs

Bayer’s Asia brand strategy lead for consumer health Ellen Yau (pictured) has departed after three years to join biotech company PHASE Scientific as its head of business for consumer healthcare.

Reporting directly to Jenny Chiu, general manager, PHASE Scientific, Yau is responsible for providing overall business leadership across the brand's consumer healthcare portfolio, including INDICAID at-home tests and other adjacent healthcare solutions.

This role is newly created as the company is strengthening its leadership structure to support its strategic priorities across different business units. This role was created to scale its consumer healthcare business, especially in women’s health such as HPV urine screening, menopause management and sexual health; drive innovation and portfolio expansion in Hong Kong and ASEAN.

It also aims to build a more integrated, consumer-centric health ecosystem, especially around at-home diagnostics and preventive care. It’s part of the company’s next growth phase and its commitment to shaping the future of everyday healthcare.

Her role spans sales, marketing, and innovation in Hong Kong, as well as business development across ASEAN, said Yau in conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE. "I focus on expanding our market presence, building strategic partnerships, and driving sustainable, innovation-led growth for our consumer health solutions."

With 16 years of experience in marketing, eCommerce and partnerships, Yau joined Bayer in 2023 as North Asia head of marketing and innovation for consumer health. She said she had a great experience at Bayer and learned a lot in a global, structured environment. "However, I was looking for a setting where I could move faster, take broader ownership, and be closer to innovation and execution."

"I see a brighter, more agile future in companies such as PHASE, where the vision is strongly aligned with the new state of health—more personalised, accessible, and technology-enabled. In particular, biotech and self-diagnostic solutions are growing rapidly, empowering individuals to better understand their own health status and make more informed decisions earlier," she added.

As biotech and diagnostics are evolving quickly, she wanted to be in an environment where she can shape that transformation directly—from strategy to market execution—especially in areas such as at-home testing, early detection, HPV urine screening and consumer-friendly health insights, she said. 

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