Bristol-Myers
Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) today announced a number of leadership
changes approved by its board of directors and effective at the close of
the annual Shareholders’ Meeting on May 5.
Giovanni Caforio, M.D. (Photo: Business Wire)
-
Giovanni
Caforio, M.D., 50, will become chief executive officer of the
company.
-
Lamberto
Andreotti, 64, will become executive chairman of the board of
directors on May 5 and will continue to serve as chairman after his
retirement on August 3.
-
James
M. Cornelius, 71, has chosen not to stand for re-election as
non-executive chairman and will retire from the board.
-
Togo
D. West, Jr., 72, will become the lead independent director on the
company’s board.
“I want to thank Jim Cornelius for his many years at BMS,” Andreotti
said. “Through his leadership and strategic vision, Jim oversaw the
successful transformation of our company. As CEO of Bristol-Myers
Squibb, I am grateful to have had his guidance as a mentor and a friend.”
“I also want to express my excitement that Giovanni has been appointed
to succeed me as CEO,” Andreotti said. “I have a high level of
confidence in Giovanni that is shared by everyone who has seen him
consistently and successfully drive performance. He has an unmatched
breadth and depth of experience. From his start in a medical role to his
experience as a general manager to his roles as chief commercial officer
and chief operating officer, Giovanni has demonstrated a unique ability
to work across the organization to bring innovative medicines to
patients.”
“I am honored to have the privilege to lead this great company,” Caforio
said. “Lamberto has led the successful transformation of BMS from a
broad-based health care company to a Diversified Specialty BioPharma
leader with his passion for our business, our people and, most
importantly, our patients. I look forward to working with our very
talented team of people at BMS to build on what we’ve accomplished, to
deliver on the promise of our innovative portfolio and to continue to
make a real difference for our patients.”
“This is an extraordinary company of talented people with incomparable
passion and dedication to helping patients,” Cornelius said. “With
Giovanni’s appointment as CEO and Lamberto’s appointment as chairman, we
ensure the continuation of both the leadership and strategy that have
made BMS successful.”
Caforio brings a broad range of experience to his role as CEO. Through
ever-expanding roles, Caforio has made significant contributions to
improving the company’s strategic focus and operational performance. He
helped build the company’s leadership in immuno-oncology through his
roles in U.S. and Global Oncology. As chief commercial officer and chief
operating officer he led the transformation of the company’s global
commercial organization into one uniquely designed to be able to
differentially invest in the most important opportunities. As a member
of the company’s Senior Management Team since 2011 and the company’s
board of directors since 2014, Caforio has been integral in shaping the
company’s successful transformation to a Diversified Specialty BioPharma
company. A trained physician, Caforio began his career in Medical
Affairs at Abbott Laboratories. He joined Bristol-Myers Squibb in 2000
as vice president and general manager, Italy. Caforio earned his M.D.
from the University of Rome prior to joining the pharmaceutical industry.
Andreotti joined Bristol-Myers Squibb in 1998 as vice president and
general manager, Italy and European Oncology. He held a number of roles
of increasing responsibility and was elected to the board of directors
in March 2009. He became CEO in May 2010. He also sits on the board of
directors of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company.
Cornelius has been non-executive chairman since May 2010. He served as
chairman and chief executive officer from February 2008 to May 2010 and
served as our chief executive officer from September 2006 to February
2008. Cornelius is the non-executive chairman of the board of directors
of Mead Johnson Nutrition Company.
About Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol-Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission
is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help
patients prevail over serious diseases. For more information, please
visit www.bms.com
or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/bmsnews.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20150120006656/en/
Copyright Business Wire 2015