Ireland — November 2026: Astellas Pharma has appointed Juanita Brennan as Global Head of Labour Relations, bringing approximately 25 years of experience across employee relations, industrial relations, employment law, human resources leadership, organizational transformation, and workforce governance.
Brennan brings extensive expertise in global labour relations strategy, regulatory compliance, stakeholder negotiations, organizational restructuring, and employee engagement. Her career spans senior leadership and advisory positions across multinational organizations, including The Coca-Cola Company, GSK, and Ibec.
In her new role, Brennan will draw on her experience managing complex employee and labour relations matters across international markets, supporting Astellas Pharma’s global workforce and organizational priorities.
Global Employee and Labour Relations Leadership at The Coca-Cola Company
Before joining Astellas Pharma, Brennan served as Vice President – Global Employee & Labor Relations at The Coca-Cola Company for more than three years. She oversaw employee and labour relations governance across more than 200 markets, supporting a workforce of over 20,000 associates.
During her tenure, she led a geographically distributed team of employee and labour relations consultants, providing specialist guidance to senior business and HR leaders. Her responsibilities covered organizational restructuring, workforce transformation, employment legislation, labour relations risks, and complex changes across multiple jurisdictions.
Brennan worked closely with business leaders and HR teams to address employee relations implications arising from business transformation and changes to employment benefits. She also collaborated with specialist HR functions, including talent and rewards, to support workforce-related decisions.
Her work included strengthening leadership capabilities in conflict management, negotiation, performance management, and employee relations. She also conducted organizational culture assessments and analyzed employee relations data to identify workforce trends and inform engagement strategies.
In addition, Brennan supported human rights-related employee and labour matters within the Coca-Cola system and contributed to the consistent application of the company’s Code of Conduct and consequence management processes.
Regional Employee Relations Leadership at GSK
Prior to The Coca-Cola Company, Brennan spent more than six years at GSK, progressing through several regional employee and industrial relations leadership positions.
Most recently, she served as Regional Employee Relations Director – Great Britain, Ireland & Europe, overseeing employee relations governance across multiple jurisdictions and supporting approximately 36,000 associates.
She led a diverse, multilingual employee relations team, working with regional specialists and employee relations centers. Her responsibilities included developing proactive employee relations practices, strengthening collaboration with investigative teams and HR business partners, and introducing interventions based on emerging workforce trends.
Brennan also contributed to standardizing and simplifying employee relations policies and processes, supporting a more consistent approach to workplace matters. Her work included advising on global policies and contributing to their development and implementation across more than 80 markets.
Earlier, she held the position of Regional Employee Relations Lead – Great Britain, North America & Ireland, providing specialist guidance across geographically diverse business operations and navigating employee relations matters in different legal and regulatory environments.
She initially joined GSK as Employee & Industrial Relations, Inclusion & Diversity and Compliance Manager – Pan Ireland. In this role, she provided employment law and industrial relations advice to five GSK businesses across Ireland.
Her responsibilities included employment compliance, employee relations risk management, stakeholder engagement, and supporting the development of the organization’s inclusion and diversity strategy. She also developed a global employee and industrial relations capability framework for line managers and HR professionals, supported cross-border restructuring initiatives, delivered management training, and managed the Pan Ireland Information and Consultation Forum.
Employment Relations Advisory Experience at Ibec
Before joining GSK, Brennan spent nearly four years at Ibec as Industrial Relations / Employee Relations Executive.
At Ibec, she advised employers across manufacturing, education, retail, medical, hospitality, pharmaceutical, and care sectors on employment law, industrial relations, HR practices, and workplace dispute resolution.
Her responsibilities included representing organizations in employment-related proceedings before bodies such as the Labour Court, Workplace Relations Commission, and Employment Appeals Tribunal. She also managed complex industrial relations issues, advised on employment legislation, supported strategic workforce planning, and participated in trade union negotiations.
This experience strengthened her expertise in employment dispute resolution, labour relations strategy, and regulatory compliance across different industries.
Early Career in Human Resources and Recruitment
Brennan began building her HR leadership experience at Tesco Ireland as Human Resources Manager, supporting approximately 200 employees. Her responsibilities covered recruitment, payroll, training, succession planning, management coaching, grievance and disciplinary matters, trade union negotiations, and employment law compliance.
She subsequently worked as Senior Recruitment Consultant at Rainbow Recruitment and Training before establishing O’Driscoll Brennan Recruitment, a recruitment agency and HR consultancy. As Managing Director, she developed the business and provided recruitment services to organizations across southeastern Ireland and other parts of the country.
Brennan later served as Human Resources Manager at Mount Juliet Estate, overseeing HR and training for a workforce of up to 200 employees in the luxury hospitality sector.
At Mount Juliet Estate, she aligned HR priorities with business requirements and managed organizational restructuring and redundancy processes following the estate’s exit from the Hilton group. She also implemented a time and attendance system integrated with payroll, supported management coaching and employee engagement, and managed succession planning, grievance procedures, and workforce compliance. Her tenure included a successful inspection by Ireland’s National Employment Rights Authority (NERA).
Academically, Brennan holds a Degree in Business Studies, specializing in Human Resources, from Waterford Institute of Technology, which she completed in 2002.
Supporting Astellas Pharma’s Global Labour Relations Strategy
Brennan’s appointment brings together extensive experience in multinational employee relations, employment law, industrial relations, workforce transformation, and organizational restructuring.
Her career progression from operational HR management and recruitment into regional advisory roles and global employee relations leadership provides experience in managing workforce matters across different business environments and regulatory frameworks.
As Global Head of Labour Relations, she will bring this background to Astellas Pharma, supporting the company’s approach to labour relations, stakeholder engagement, and workforce governance across its international operations.
About Astellas Pharma
Astellas Pharma is a global life sciences company focused on transforming innovative scientific discoveries into meaningful value for patients. The company researches, develops, and delivers therapies addressing significant healthcare challenges and unmet medical needs.
Its areas of focus include oncology, ophthalmology, urology, immunology, and women’s health. Through its research and development programs, Astellas aims to advance treatment options and improve patient outcomes through scientific innovation and patient-focused healthcare solutions.
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