Daniel Vasella, MD, is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Novartis AG. He was appointed Chairman in April 1999, having served as CEO and Head of the Group Executive Committee since the merger that created Novartis in 1996.
As the first CEO of Novartis, Dr. Vasella had a leading role in the merger of Sandoz and Ciba-Geigy. Under Dr. Vasella, Novartis has strategically focused the business on healthcare with Pharmaceuticals as its core.
During his tenure as Chairman and CEO, Dr. Vasella has enhanced the company’s corporate governance policies in line with best practices and listed Novartis on the New York Stock Exchange. He has also strengthened Novartis’ research capacity in leading technologies, establishing The Genomics Institute of The Novartis Research Foundation, which is focused on developing therapeutics from the data generated from the mapping of the human genome, and by moving Novartis’ research headquarters to Cambridge (Mass., US), close to top scientific talent and patient and hospital networks.
Dr. Vasella has also implemented strong pioneering initiatives to ensure access to medicines such as: the Patient Assistance Program for Novartis’ breakthrough cancer drug Glivec®/Gleevec™, the agreement to supply Novartis’ novel malaria treatment Coartem® at cost to the World Health Organization, and the pledge to donate the drug therapy needed to eradicate leprosy worldwide. Furthermore, on Dr. Vasella’s instigation, Novartis subscribed to the UN Global Compact initiative.
Before the Novartis merger, Daniel Vasella was Chief Executive Officer of Sandoz Pharma Ltd. and a member of the Sandoz Group Executive Committee. From 1988 to 1992 he was with Sandoz Pharmaceuticals Corporation in the US, prior to which he held a number of medical positions in Switzerland.
Dr. Vasella is a member of the Board of Directors of PepsiCo Inc., the Credit Suisse Group, the Supervisory Board of Siemens AG and member of the Chairman’s Council of DaimlerChrysler. He chairs the International Business Leaders Advisory Council for the Mayor of Shanghai and is also a member of the International Board of Governors of the Peres Center for Peace.
Dr. Vasella was born in 1953, is married and has three children.
