Yutaka Niihara is a businessperson who founded Emmaus Medical, Inc. and EMI Holding, Inc. and who has been the head of 6 different companies. Currently, he is Chairman & Chief Executive Officer for Emmaus Life Sciences, Inc., Chief Executive Officer of EMI Holding, Inc. and President, Chief Executive Officer & Director at Newfield Nutrition Corp. (both are subsidiaries of Emmaus Life Sciences, Inc.) and Director, Chief Executive & Financial Officer for Hope International Hospice, Inc. Yutaka Niihara is also on the board of Emausu Medical Japan Co., Ltd. and Emmaus Medical Europe Ltd. and Professor Emeritus-Medicine at David Geffen School of Medicine.

In the past Dr. Niihara occupied the position of Executive Chairman for Generex Biotechnology Corp., Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer for Emmaus Medical, Inc. and Physician Specialist at County of Los Angeles (California).

He received an undergraduate degree from Loma Linda University and a doctorate from Loma Linda University School of Medicine.