Pike – who takes over from current CEO and recent Outsourcing-pharma.com interviewee Dennis Gillings on April 30 – has 30 years of experience in the consulting services space, including in regulatory affairs, resourcing and product management.
These skills attracted Quintiles’ attention according to spokesman Phil Bridges, who told Outsourcing pharma.com that: “Tom had global responsibilities and has worked around the world with clients and teams, particularly throughout North America, Europe and Asia.
“In addition to his position as managing director of its large North American Health and Products business, Tom had been Accenture’s chief operating officer of its global resources business unit, which included process manufacturing industries and regulated utilities.”
Pike has also served as Accenture’s chief risk officer which means – according to Bridges - “he understands the challenges of working in this environment” and has “dealt with complex clients and the issues of growing a complex global organization.”
However, while all this experience is an obvious fit for Quintiles' increasingly important consulting and financing businesses, Pike has never worked for either a contract research sector (CRO) or pharmaceutical company.
Outsourcing-pharma.com put this lack of familiarity of the clinical sector to Bridges, however, he declined to comment on the point, instead stressing that: “Tom has the right skill set and experience to lead Quintiles in the future. He is grounded in what it takes to grow and operate a successful, global professional services company in a knowledge-based environment.”
Bridges also spoke about the departure of Dennis Gillings next week, explaining that: “Dennis will continue as Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors. While he will no longer be involved in the day-to-day running of the business, he will continue to have strategic and governance oversight of the company in keeping with the Board’s remit.
"He remains a major shareholder in Quintiles and as such has an acute interest in its continued success."