GSK appoints Emma Walmsley as new CEO

AFP, LONDON: GlaxoSmithKline yesterday appointed Emma Walmsley, its head of consumer healthcare, to lead the British drugs giant and develop new treatments in a fast-consolidating sector.
Walmsley, 47, succeeds outgoing chief executive Andrew Witty, who is retiring early next year after almost a decade at the helm.
Walmsley, who joined GSK from French cosmetics giant L’Oreal six years ago and has a background in marketing, will take up her new post at the end of March.
She will join six other women who currently head one of the 100 companies listed on London’s benchmark FTSE index but will oversee the largest of the seven, which include EasyJet, led by Carolyn McCall. 
The global pharmaceutical sector has undergone major consolidation in recent years as companies battle competition for generic versions of their drugs.
In the past month, US giant Pfizer announced a deal to purchase biotech firm Medivation, which specialises in cancer treatments, for $14 billion (12.5 billion euros).
Google and French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi have meanwhile agreed a joint venture focused on diabetes care.

GSK appoints Emma Walmsley as new CEO

AFP, LONDON: GlaxoSmithKline yesterday appointed Emma Walmsley, its head of consumer healthcare, to lead the British drugs giant and develop new treatments in a fast-consolidating sector. Walmsley, 47, succeeds outgoing chief executive Andrew Witty, who is retiring early next year after almost a decade at the helm. Walmsley, who joined GSK from French cosmetics giant LOreal six years ago and has a background in marketing, will take up her new post at the end of March. She will join six other women who currently head one of the 100 companies listed on Londons benchmark FTSE index but will oversee the largest of the seven, which include EasyJet, led by Carolyn McCall. The global pharmaceutical sector has undergone major consolidation in recent years as companies battle competition for generic versions of their drugs. In the past month, US giant Pfizer announced a deal to purchase biotech firm Medivation, which specialises in cancer treatments, for $14 billion (12.5 billion euros). Google and Frenchpharmaceutical giantSanofi have meanwhile agreed a joint venture focused on diabetes care.