(Image: Getty/AndreyPopov)
The new year has led to a new look to executive boards across the pharma industry, but the movement has arrived with a degree of intrigue in some cases.
A renowned scientist arrives at AstraZeneca, but only shortly after having to relinquish their previous position due to controversial non-disclosure of industry payments. Vertex also terminated the employment of a member of its C-suite on the grounds that their ‘personal behaviour’ was not sufficiently adequate to stay with the company.
The new year has led to a new look to executive boards across the pharma industry, but the movement has arrived with a degree intrigue in some cases.
A renowned scientist arrives at AstraZeneca, but only shortly after having to relinquish their position due to controversial non-disclosure of industry payments. Vertex also terminated the position of a member of its C-suite on the grounds that their ‘personal behaviour’ was not adequate to stay with the company.
Genentech announced that its new CEO would come from within the Roche Group, with Alexander Hardy taking the helm effective as of March 1, 2019.
Hardy will take on the role after having most recently worked as head of global product strategy at Roche. The company has now repositioned him to lead its Genentech unit, which is responsible for a number of therapies within Roche’s portfolio, such as Avastin (bevacizumab) and Actemra (tocilizumab).
For Hardy, the new position represents a return to the business, after nearly five years in various roles at Roche; from 2005, he worked across the Genentech business for eight years and finished his first stint as SVP of its ‘Impact’ business unit.
Prior to joining the Roche Group, Hardy led regional businesses within Novartis and worked as a product manager for SmithKline Beecham.
Becoming CEO of Genentech sees him take the position previously held by Bill Anderson, who moved to become the new CEO of Roche Pharmaceuticals at the start of the year.
Anderson commented on Hardy’s appointment: “He brings significant global expertise in the delivery of breakthrough medicines and a deep connection to the company culture. I look forward to seeing Genentech’s scientific excellence, employee experience and dedication to patients thrive under his leadership.”
Ian Smith has had his position as CFO at Vertex terminated as a result of “personal behaviour that violated Vertex’s code of conduct and values.”
The company is yet to reveal exactly what the nature of his misconduct was, only that it was unrelated to the financial and business performance of the company.
The decision sees Paul Silva, SVP and chief accounting officer take on the role of interim CFO, effective immediately. However, the company will still be searching for a permanent replacement for Smith.
“At Vertex, we are deeply committed to our culture of diversity, inclusion and respect, and we insist that all of our employees, regardless of their seniority, live our values and adhere to our code of conduct,” said Jeffrey Leiden, CEO of Vertex, regarding the decision to terminate Smith’s contract.
The move to terminate Smith’s employment came after an independent investigation carried out by WilmerHale.
AstraZeneca moved quickly to secure the services of José Baselga, who only recently left his position as physician-in-chief of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK).
Baselga will become EVP of research and development for oncology at AZ.
Baselga resigned from his previous position after it was revealed, through a joint investigation by the New York Times and ProPublica, that he had failed to disclose receiving millions of dollars from the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries.
Despite the publicity that Baselga attracted, AZ moved to appoint him to its leadership ranks four months after his resignation.
Pascal Soriot, CEO of AZ, made no mention of the circumstances that made Baselga available for hire in a statement welcoming him to the company’s ranks: “An outstanding scientific leader in Oncology, José’s research and clinical achievements have led to the development of several innovative medicines, and he is an international thought leader in cancer care and clinical research. José’s expertise adds further scientific and leadership excellence to our already strong team.”
It is not the first time that Baselga is working with AZ – he had previously acted as a consultant to the company, and had also worked in similar positions with various pharma companies, including Roche and Bristol-Myers Squibb.
Prior to working at MSK, he had also served as chief of oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.
In another major movement in AstraZeneca’s executive team, the company will have to find a new CMO after it was revealed that current incumbent, Sean Bohen, will move on from the company. Bohen will remain in the role until a replacement is found.
Bohen joined AZ’s leadership team after a 12-year stint as SVP of Genentech’s R&D department. Prior to this, he had worked Stanford University’s School of Medicine for nine years.
The movement at the top of AZ has also seen Bahija Jallal move to take the CEO reins at Immunocore earlier this month, and late last year saw its VP of cardiovascular, renal and metabolism leave to become Novo Nordisk’s head of biopharma.
GSK announced that its non-executive chairman, Philip Hampton, would step down from his position. Ahead of the merger of Pfizer and GSK’s healthcare companies, which will see GSK split up its business into a pure pharmaceutical company and a separate consumer healthcare business.
Hampton has held the role of chairman for three and a half years after joining the board on January 1, 2015. Before GSK, he held the position of chairman at RBS and J Sainsbury.
“GSK has made very good progress with a new strategy and new approach to R&D. Following the announcement of our deal with Pfizer and the intended separation of the new consumer business, I believe this is the right moment to step down and allow a new chair to oversee this process through to its conclusion over the next few years and to lead the board into this next phase for GSK,” said Hampton.
GSK announced that it will begin the process of finding a successor immediately.
