Merck exec joins Novartis to helm oncology unit

Chutes and Ladders

Welcome to this week's Chutes and Ladders, our roundup of hirings and firings throughout the industry. Please send the good word--or the bad--from your shop to Michael Gibney (email | Twitter) or Emily Mullin (email | Twitter) and we will feature it here at the end of each week.

Merck exec joins Novartis to helm oncology unit

Former Merck ($MRK) executive Bruno Strigini has been tapped by Novartis ($NVS) to head its cancer arm. At Merck, Strigini was president of European and Canadian operations, and at Novartis he will take over for Alessandro Riva, who has been the interim chief of Oncology Development and Medical Affairs. Item | More

Novartis
Bruno Strigini
joined as cancer chief.


Bayer
Marijn Dekkers announced he would step down from the CEO position in 2016.

Pharma

> Bayer CEO Marijn Dekkers announced he would leave the position at the end of 2016. Article

Teva ($TEVA) has appointed Sigurdur Olafsson as president and CEO of the newly formed Global Generic Medicines group. The Jerusalem-based company has also made a number of structural changes to its board. Release

Bayer's pharma division brought on Otsuka executive Dieter Weinand to replace Andreas Fibig as president. Story

Auxilium Pharmaceuticals ($AUXL) CFO James Fickenscher has left the company to pursue other interests. Release

Biotech

> Ampio Pharmaceuticals ($AMPE) has appointed Gregory Gould as chief financial officer. Release

> PuraMed BioScience has appointed Patricia McMurtrie to the positions of COO, president and director. Release

> Neurotrope has announced the appointment of Sam Kongsamut as executive director of pharmacology. Release

> Kymab is poaching talent with the recent acquisition of Steve Arkinstall as chief scientific officer and Nigel Clark as vice president and head of business development. Release

> Curis ($CRIS) is transitioning into a new executive management team with the promotion of Ali Fattaey as the new president and CEO and Daniel Passeri as the vice chairman of the board and strategic adviser. Release

Aastrom Biosciences ($ASTM) has appointed Gerard Michel as chief financial officer and vice president of corporate development. Release

Ascendis Pharma appointed Dr. Martin Auster as its chief business officer. Release

> Kite Pharma named Dr. David Chang as the new leader of its R&D programs. Release

> Agilis Biotherapeutics appointed Arthur Tzianabos to its scientific advisory board. Tzianabos is currently chief scientific officer at OvaScience ($OVAS). Release

Certara has named Dr. Edmundo Muniz as its chief executive officer. Release

> Taconic appointed Robert Rosenthal as CEO. Release

> Winnie Tso joined Zosano Pharma as the company's chief financial officer. Release

> Seres Health appointed Dr. Roger Pomerantz as its president and CEO. He will also remain chairman of the board of directors. Pomerantz is a former senior executive at Merck ($MRK). Release

> FORMA Therapeutics named Duncan Walker as vice president of pharmacology and early development. Release

> Eric Vandal joined Cara Therapeutics as vice president of commercial operations. Release

> Celladon appointed Paul Cleveland as its president and chief financial officer. Release

CRO

> Celerion has appointed Dr. Chew Lan Chong as executive director of medical research. Release

Diagnostics

Atossa Genetics announced it has hired John Sawyer as senior vice president of global regulatory affairs and quality assurance. Release