Desi doctor to become Novartis CEO |
Vasant Narasimhan, 41, chief medical officer and global head of drug development at Novartis will take over as the CEO of Europe`s largest drugmaker after the company announced the surprise departure of CEO Joseph Jimenez after eight years at the helm. Narsimhan, a Harvard-trained doctor will succeed Jimenez from February 1, Novartis said. Vasant Narsimhan is a giant among doctors. He is credited with discovering a dependable way of treating certain types of cancers. Now, he must remember his Indian roots and offer cheaper remedies to the Indian poor. Recently, the company secured US regulatory clearance for a $475,000-breakthrough oncology therapy, a triumph for both Jimenez and Narasimhan. Narasimhan, an American citizen of Indian origin, is the youngest among a group of new chieftains at global pharmaceutical companies. Prior to his current role, Narasimhan served as head of development for Novartis Pharmaceuticals. Before joining the company in 2005, he worked at McKinsey. He received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School in the US and obtained a master`s degree in public policy from Harvard`s John F Kennedy School of Government. He holds a bachelor`s degree in biological sciences from the University of Chicago.
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