Novartis Reshuffles 4 Executives as China Sales Surge Past 3.9 Billion Dollars

Novartis is undergoing a wave of leadership changes in China just as the market posts explosive growth. On April 16, the company announced that Wei Xu will take over as head of Ophthalmology, Transplantation, and Neuroscience in China starting May 1, joining the International Business Unit’s local management team.

Xu brings over 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, having led several major product launches and market expansions. Under her leadership, products like Tabrecta, Mayzent, and Tafinlar saw rapid uptake, strengthening Novartis’s presence in precision oncology. She previously led Cosentyx marketing efforts and county-level strategy, earning praise for innovative patient-focused initiatives.

This is the fourth major executive reshuffle in 2025. Earlier this year, Tian Yu was promoted to lead Novartis Poland, while Jia Wang assumed control of the immunology portfolio in China as of April.

These leadership shifts come amid a booming Chinese market. In 2024, Novartis reported $3.9 billion in net sales in China, up 21% year over year.

Key contributors included out-of-pocket growth for Entresto and Leqvio, and robust demand in cardiovascular, renal-metabolic, immunology, and neuroscience segments. The cardio-renal-metabolic portfolio led the charge with 36% growth, while immunology topped $9.2 billion globally, boosted by Cosentyx and Xolair in China.

Entresto generated $7.82 billion globally in 2024, with strong Chinese sales, while Leqvio saw a 114% jump to $754 million, making China its largest market outside the U.S. 

With China becoming increasingly pivotal to Novartis’s global strategy, these swift leadership transitions signal the company’s commitment to staying agile in a rapidly evolving market.