GlaxoSmithKline announces appointments to the Board of Directors
Issued – Friday 7 December 2007, London, UK– LSE Announcement - GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) today announced the following executive appointments and changes:
Andrew Witty, CEO Designate, and Chris Viehbacher, President US Pharmaceuticals, have been appointed Executive Directors and will join the Board of the Company with effect from 31st January 2008.
Eddie Gray, currently Senior Vice President and General Manager, Pharmaceuticals UK, will succeed Andrew Witty as President, Pharmaceuticals Europe for GlaxoSmithKline. Eddie will assume his new position on 1st January 2008.
David Stout, currently President of Pharmaceuticals, will leave the company in February 2008.
Commenting on the changes, Sir Christopher Gent, Chairman, said: “I am very pleased that both Andrew and Chris will be joining the Board. In doing so, we have increased the overall number of executive directors on the Board, and ensured that it remains strongly aligned to GSK’s strategy and operational performance.â€
JP Garnier, Chief Executive Officer, said: “I would like to thank David sincerely for his significant contribution to GSK and for the support he has given me over many years. We wish him well in his future endeavours. Andrew and I would also like to congratulate Eddie on his appointment and welcome him to the Corporate Executive Team. We wish him every success in managing our European pharmaceuticals business.â€
GlaxoSmithKline – one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies – is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer.
Eddie Gray was appointed Senior Vice President and General Manager, Pharmaceuticals UK for GlaxoSmithKline in 2001. He is a member of the Pharmaceuticals Europe Executive Team. Previously, he was Vice President & General Manager, SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals, Canada, and a member of SmithKline Beecham’s Executive Management Team for North America.
Eddie joined SmithKline Beecham in 1988 as National Sales Manager. He held various positions in the UK company of increasing responsibility, including Head of Hospital Sales, Marketing Manager for Anti-Infective products and Business Unit Director for the UK Pharmaceuticals General Medicine business before moving to the US, where he assumed responsibility for Market Research for the US Pharmaceuticals business. He later became Vice President & Director of Anti-Infectives Marketing, then Vaccines Marketing in the US, before assuming his role in Canada.
Eddie serves on the Board of Management of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) and chairs the ABPI Economic Strategy Group. He is an advisory board member of Opportunity Now, an organisation for employers who are committed to creating an inclusive workplace for women; and a Trustee of Project HOPE UK which aims to make health care available for people around the globe, especially children.
Eddie holds an honours degree in Chemistry and Management Studies from the University of London, and an MBA from the Cranfield School of Management in the UK. He is married with three daughters.