KENILWORTH, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced that Adam H. Schechter, president of Global Human Health (GHH), is stepping down from his current position as of Dec. 31, 2018, and will be shifting to an advisory capacity to the CEO. The company is taking the opportunity to reshape its commercial organization and is creating two new Executive Committee roles. Frank Clyburn has been promoted to Chief Commercial Officer and Michael Nally has been promoted to Chief Marketing Officer.
Schechter has been the president of GHH since 2010. He joined the company in 1988. Schechter has been responsible for the performance of our human health business during a period of significant change, and also evolved Merck’s commercial organization to strengthen the company’s ability to bring its medicines and vaccines to people in more than 140 countries around the world. In addition to his accomplishments in Merck’s commercial organization throughout his 30-year career, Schechter led the integration of Merck and Schering-Plough, a significant milestone in the creation of today’s Merck.
“Adam’s leadership and unwavering dedication to finding new ways to bring Merck’s medicines and vaccines to more patients around the world have been hallmarks of his time at Merck. I have relied on his experience and expertise as we evolved a world-class commercial organization, spanning primary care, hospital and specialty, vaccines and oncology,” said Kenneth C. Frazier, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Merck. “Because of him we are better positioned to address future opportunities and challenges as a global biopharmaceutical company, and Frank and Mike have a great foundation upon which to build future success.”
“It has been my honor to be a part of Merck for 30 years and to lead Global Human Health since 2010,” Schechter said. “I am proud of how we have transformed our business and have been able to ensure that Merck’s remarkable medicines and vaccines are available to so many people around the world. I know that Frank and Mike share that passion for achieving Merck’s mission, and I am confident that they will build on GHH’s track record of driving growth and continue the momentum we have across our global business today.”
Frank Clyburn, who will take on the role of Chief Commercial Officer, effective Jan. 1, 2019, has held a number of leadership positions across Merck. Most recently, Clyburn was the President of the Global Oncology business. In his new role, Clyburn will report directly to Ken Frazier and will be a member of the Executive Committee. He will be responsible for all operations and P&L across Merck’s human health commercial portfolio globally. Clyburn joined Merck in 2008 and has had responsibility for numerous global pharmaceutical franchises, including diabetes, cardiovascular and women’s health, as well as leadership of marketing and sales teams.
Michael Nally, who will become Chief Marketing Officer, effective Jan. 1, 2019, most recently led the company’s Vaccines business. In his new role, Nally will report directly to Ken Frazier and will be a member of the Executive Committee. Nally will be responsible for Global Marketing and long-term franchise strategy across the portfolio. Nally has been at Merck since 2003 and served in a number of roles with responsibilities including being the Managing Director of UK, Ireland and Sweden as well a variety of roles in Commercial Operations, Business Development and Investor Relations.
About Merck
For more than a century, Merck, a leading global biopharmaceutical company known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world's most challenging diseases. Through our prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies and animal health products, we work with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to health care through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. Today, Merck continues to be at the forefront of research to advance the prevention and treatment of diseases that threaten people and communities around the world - including cancer, cardio-metabolic diseases, emerging animal diseases, Alzheimer's disease and infectious diseases including HIV and Ebola. For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.
Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA
This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (the “company”) includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.
Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the company’s ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the company’s patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.
The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the company’s 2017 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC’s Internet site (www.sec.gov).
