Andrew Witty, CEO GSK, succeeds Arthur Higgins as President of EFPIA
Brussels, 5 January 2010: EFPIA, the voice of the research-based pharmaceutical industry in Europe, welcomes Mr. Andrew Witty as its new President. Mr. Witty, who is CEO of GlaxoSmithKline, will officially take up his post on January 1st, 2010, succeeding outgoing President Arthur J. Higgins, CEO of Bayer HealthCare.
Mr. Witty said: "I am pleased to have the opportunity to represent our industry in Europe at this challenging time, when the policy considerations of healthcare have probably never been more pertinent. I thank Arthur Higgins for the focus he brought to the role of President, and the solid base it provides. As a result of his efforts, we are well prepared for future engagement and cooperation with the new Commission, European Parliament, Member States, patients and other stakeholders."
He continued; "Europe needs a 21st century approach to healthcare; one that provides access to optimal and equitable quality of care in a manner that is sustainable. We need policies that make this a reality, as well as policies that recognize innovation, equipping us to develop new medicines and therapies that citizens seek."
Andrew Witty is the Chief Executive Officer of GlaxoSmithKline, a role he assumed in May 2008. Previously he had been GSK's President, Pharmaceuticals Europe, and has been with the company for 25 years. He has acted as vice-President of EFPIA since 2008.
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About EFPIA
EFPIA represents the pharmaceutical industry operating in Europe. Through its direct membership of 31 national associations and 40 leading pharmaceutical companies, EFPIA provides the voice of 2,200 companies committed to researching, developing and bringing new medicines to improve health and quality of life around the world.
EFPIA member are committed to delivering innovative medicines to address needs of patients and reducing the burden of chronic diseases for Europe's ageing population. EFPIA believes in close cooperation with stakeholders to help create sustainable healthcare systems and to develop prompt responses to health threats.
The pharmaceutical sector directly employs some 635,000 people in Europe including 117,000 working in research and development. The industry also generates around three to four times more employment both upstream and downstream.
Europe's research-based pharmaceutical industry generates a substantial trade surplus, estimated at €48,000 million in 2008, and has contributed significantly to reducing the European Union's trade deficit in high-tech products. Almost a quarter of the EU's high-tech exports are pharmaceutical products. Contact
Colin Mackay, Tel: (+32) 2 626 25 57
E-mail: [email protected]
Useful links
www.efpia.eu