Welcome to this week's Chutes and Ladders, our roundup of hirings, firings and retirings throughout the industry. Please send the good word--or the bad--from your shop to Eric Sagonowsky (email), and we will feature it here at the end of each week.
Valeant names Sam Eldessouky its accounting head
Valeant
Sam Eldessouky was named chief accounting officer.
Canada’s Valeant Pharmaceuticals, under scrutiny for its drug pricing, a specialty pharmacy relationship and much more, has named Sam Eldessouky its chief accounting officer; he’ll take the role from Robert Rosiello, who remains CFO. With a depressed stock price and under new leadership, the company will lean on Eldessouky for leadership in accounting, problems with which contributed in a big way to the company’s remarkable freefall. Amid a host of other issues, Valeant reported $58 million in accounting missteps that led to restated filings and missed deadlines. Eldessouky has served as Valeant’s SVP and controller since joining the company just last month. Before Valeant, he was chief accounting officer at Tyco. Filing
J&J’s Louise Mehrotra set for retirement
Johnson & Johnson
Louise Mehrotra is retiring.
Johnson & Johnson’s longtime investor relations head, Louise Mehrotra, is retiring in January, the company announced; she’ll be succeeded by Joseph Wolk. After joining J&J in 1980, Mehrotra eventually rose to VP of investor relations, a role she held for more than 10 years. Joseph Wolk, previously VP of finance for J&J’s pharma group, is set to assume the duties on August 1. "Louise has been a constant advocate for transparency and credibility in our financial communications, a trusted advisor to company management, and her commitment to excellence has led to the development of a best-in-class IR team," J&J CFO Dominic Caruso said in a statement. Release
Paul McKenzie to take reins of Biogen’s pharma ops and technology
Biogen
Paul McKenzie was named EVP of pharma ops and technology.
Paul McKenzie is moving up the management ranks at Biogen. The Big Biotech announced on Tuesday that effective July 1, he’ll serve as EVP of pharma ops and technology, reporting to CEO George Scangos. In the role, he’ll lead aspects of the company including asset management, technical development, global manufacturing and supply chain operations. He succeeds John Cox, who will take the reins at Biogen’s hemophilia spinoff. McKenzie joined Biogen from Johnson & Johnson, having also served in various roles at Bristol-Myers Squibb and Merck. Release
Pfizer closing Hospira plant in Colorado, 100 jobs to be lost. Story
Biotech
> Dr. Daniel Adelman was named CMO at Aimmune ($AIMT). Release
> Caribou Biosciences brought on Rachel Haurwitz as its CEO. Release
> Greg Doyle joined Leading BioSciences as its CEO. Release
Pharma
> Astellas named Sandra Cifuentes the head of a new Colombian affiliate. Release
> Bristol-Myers Squibb ($BMY) promoted Murdo Gordon to chief commercial officer. Release