2023 Senior Management Personnel Changes of Multinational Pharmaceutical Companies in China, what's behind it? - V

In the pursuit of new growth opportunities, several multinational pharmaceutical companies, including AbbVie, Roche Pharmaceuticals, and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), have implemented high-level executive changes. These strategic adjustments aim to bring in fresh perspectives and expertise to navigate evolving market dynamics.

AbbVie witnessed significant personnel turbulence following the departure of its General Manager for China, Osmond Ou, on April 4. Ou had held a pivotal position at AbbVie since becoming its first leader in China in 2013. His departure triggered a wave of personnel changes, with four executives subsequently leaving the company.

On June 12, AbbVie announced that Dong Lijun, former Chief Operating Officer of Roche Pharmaceuticals China, would assume the position vacated by Ou. Prior to joining Roche, Dong and veteran Yin Min, both served as executives at AstraZeneca during the same period, progressing from clinical doctors and pharmaceutical representatives to General Manager of AstraZeneca China's Digestive and Portfolio Expansion Business Department. Dong's appointment marks her return to a multinational pharmaceutical company less than two years after transitioning to an innovative pharmaceutical enterprise.

The industry is closely watching Dong's direction for AbbVie. AbbVie's flagship product, Humira, has dominated the global prescription drug sales rankings for 11 consecutive years since 2012. However, Humira's patent expired this year. In China, several biosimilar versions of Humira have gained market approval, posing challenges to AbbVie's sustained growth. How will AbbVie maintain its growth momentum, and what will be the next blockbuster product to succeed Humira?

While the answer remains uncertain, AbbVie has already initiated adjustments. Starting from July, the company has brought in three new executives from external sources. These include Wang Gang, a former executive at Merck, and Liang Jian, the former Director of Business Strategy and Execution at AstraZeneca China, along with Geng Tao, the former head of AstraZeneca's Renal Division.

Roche Pharmaceuticals, since establishing a new pipeline in ophthalmology, has been actively recruiting new executives. On September 4, Ms. Rosa joined Roche Pharmaceuticals China as the Head of Medical Affairs in the Ophthalmology Therapeutic Area. Prior to joining Roche, she served as the Head of Medical Science in the Ophthalmology field at Bayer. On August 21, Xu Lanlan, the former Head of Novartis Ophthalmology Marketing, joined Roche as the Head of the Ophthalmology Therapeutic Area.

To strengthen its specialty pharmaceutical business, GSK made multiple high-level executive changes this year. After Xu Ding stepped down as GSK China's Vice President and Head of Respiratory Business, Yu Jinyi, the former Chief Business Officer of Sanofi Genzyme China, assumed the position. On September 11, Yu officially became the Vice President and Head of Specialty Pharmaceuticals, responsible for driving the growth of the core product, Benlysta (belimumab), and the submission of new indications for Tremfya (guselkumab) for approval in China.

According to the 2022 financial report, Benlysta achieved £1.146 billion in revenue, representing a 31% growth. To maintain this robust growth trajectory, Yu Jinyi implemented extensive reforms in November, dividing the Benlysta sales team into five regions and appointing five regional directors. With the team structure in place, Yu expressed confidence, stating, "Through this adjustment, we aim to reshape our product line business for a more focused and efficient organizational operation. Our goal is to create a high-performance, high-execution, and high-productivity specialty pharmaceutical team, enabling rapid and sustained growth in the specialty pharmaceutical field."

In the pursuit of new growth opportunities, multinational pharmaceutical companies have undergone high-level changes, introducing fresh talent and strategic realignments. These adjustments reflect the industry's dynamic nature and the companies' aspirations to navigate challenges, maintain growth momentum, and discover the next breakthrough products. The outcomes of these transformations will shape the future trajectory of these pharmaceutical giants.

Related reading: 

2023 Senior Management Personnel Changes of Multinational Pharmaceutical Companies in China, what's behind it? - I (echemi.com)

2023 Senior Management Personnel Changes of Multinational Pharmaceutical Companies in China, what's behind it? - II (echemi.com)

2023 Senior Management Personnel Changes of Multinational Pharmaceutical Companies in China, what's behind it? - III (echemi.com)

2023 Senior Management Personnel Changes of Multinational Pharmaceutical Companies in China, what's behind it? - IV (echemi.com)

2023 Senior Management Personnel Changes of Multinational Pharmaceutical Companies in China, what's behind it? - VI (echemi.com)