Multinational companies rush to appoint new CEOs

Five pharmaceutical companies to replace chief executives, Organon nominated the first CEO

Galderma and Ono appointed Koreans, MSD and GSK foreigners

(From left) CEO Kim Younhee, Choi Ho-jin and Kim So-eun

Multiple Korean subsidiaries of multinational pharmaceutical companies are reporting their news of newly appointed top executives.

 

Just in the latter half of the year, six companies have welcomed their new leaders.

 

According to pharmaceutical industry sources, Sanofi Pasteur Korea, Galderma Korea, Ono Pharma Korea, MSD Korea, Organon Korea and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Korea eighter elected or nominated new CEOs.

 

Apparently, South Korean CEOs were appointed at Galderma Korea, Ono Pharma Korea and Organon Korea.

 

Since October, Galderma Korea elected CEO Kim Younhee, a new Korean CEO after two years.

 

Former CEO Rene Wipperich, elected after former CEO Park Heung Bum, was transferred to Swiss office after serving two years in South Korea since September 2018.

 

Ono Pharma Korea welcomed a new leader only after a year as former CEO Yang Min-yeol retired.

 

A South Korean would continue to oversee the multinational company as former Vice-president Choi Ho-jin is taking over the position.

 

Prior to CEO Yang’s appointment, former CEO Takashi Kishi used to manage the company.

 

Along with CEO Choi’s personnel news, Ono Pharma is resuming its process to seek reimbursement and expand indication on immunotherapy Opdivo that the industry once evaluated the company’s attempt to be sluggish.

 

Split from MSD, Organon has nominated the current South Korean External Affairs Lead, Kim So-eun, as a new CEO.

 

Kim would lead the company from February next year.

 

While former CEO Avi BenShoshan has been promoted to take a position at the headquarters, MSD Korea nominated Kevin Peters, from the Thai office, as a new CEO.

 

(From left) CEO Kevin Peters and Pascal Robin

Regarding the Organon spin-off, MSD’s Korea labor union and the management are in dispute.

 

The new CEOs would have to face the imminent issue and urgently take actions to successfully complete the corporate reorganization procedure.

 

Besides MSD Korea, Sanofi Pasteur Korea and GSK Korea are also maintaining the non-Korean leadership.

 

In last August, Pascal Robin stepped in as a new CEO of Sanofi Pasteur Korea.

 

The position was vacant for a couple of months, as former CEO Baptiste de Claren resigned last June.

 

GSK Korea is bidding farewell to current CEO Julien Samson by the end of the month for him to take his position at the headquarters.

 

Robert Kempton, a vice-president from the U.S.

 

North Carolina office, is now nominated as a new CEO at the Korean office.

 

Leading the South Korean branch since February 2018, Samson was the first foreigner CEO of the office.

 

Previously, CEO Hong Yoo-seok was elected in 2014 as a successor of former CEO Kim Jin-Ho, who led the company from the time of GlaxoWellcome.

 

Hong later nominated Samson as a next CEO, when he was promoted to lead the pharmaceutical business unit (therapeutics and vaccines) at GSK Canada in 2018.