Given the complexity of the pharmaceutical business and the generally slow pace of new drug development, it can be challenging to identify leading pharma executives. Compensation is not necessarily an accurate barometer of success. That said, CEOs’ annualized return over tenure as CEO over their term can hint at performance.

In addition, rating sites like Glassdoor also indicate top pharma executives’ popularity.

Here, we parsed a range of metrics, including CEOs’ approval ratings, their ability to navigate the pandemic and their firms’ stock performance over time, to identify ten leading pharma executives.

[This story is part of 2022’s Pharma 50 series of content.]

1. Pfizer
CEO: Dr. Albert Bourla

• Annualized return over tenure as CEO: 6%
• Start date: January 1, 2019
• 2021 total compensation: $24.3 million
• Glassdoor approval rating: 89%

Pfizer veteran Dr. Albert Bourla has worked at the company for more than 25 years, becoming CEO in January 2019. The CEO shined during the pandemic, ramping up Pfizer’s focus on innovation while investing more than $2 billion at-risk to accelerate the development of a COVID-19 vaccine with partner BioNTech. The company has also developed the most popular COVID-19 oral antiviral to date. In 2022, Pfizer anticipates generating approximately $100 billion in revenue, likely cementing its role as the largest pharma company.

2. Eli Lilly
CEO: David A. Ricks

• Annualized return over tenure as CEO: 31%
• Start date: January 1, 2017
• 2021 total compensation: $21.5 million
• Glassdoor approval rating: 84%

Also a veteran of Eli Lilly for more than 25 years, David A. Ricks inherited the corner office in January 2017. He assumed the chair of the company’s board of directors in June 2017. As CEO, he has achieved an annualized return over tenure as CEO of 31%. As CEO of the largest pharmaceutical company based in Indiana, Ricks has advocated that the state become more competitive in attracting skilled workers. In recent years, Ricks has guided Lilly in debuting a variety of new drugs, including SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies. In 2021, the company beat its revenue target, but it fell slightly short of its earnings per share target.

3. West Pharmaceutical Services
CEO: Eric M. Green

• Annualized return over tenure as CEO: 36.4%
• Start date: April 24, 2015
• 2021 total compensation: $9.5 million
• Glassdoor approval rating: 80%

Eric M. Green joined West Pharmaceutical Services in 2015 after serving a senior executive role at Sigma-Aldrich Corp. In recent years, Green has helped the company deliver strong sales growth. In 2021, net sales of $2.8 billion were 31.9% higher than the prior year. Green has also guided the company in investing in new digital capabilities to bolster efficiency. He’s also launched new diversity and inclusion programs.

4. Thermo Fisher Scientific
CEO: Marc N. Casper

• Annualized return over tenure as CEO: 23.8%
• Start date: October 15, 2009
• 2020 total compensation: $26.4 million
• Glassdoor approval rating: 90%

Having assumed the role of CEO and president in 2009, Marc N. Casper started his career as a strategy consultant at Bain & Co. After Thermo Fisher Scientific emerged as a merger in 2006, Caper was named executive vice president and president of the company’s analytical technologies business unit. In 2008, he was promoted to chief operating officer and again as CEO in 2009. Casper became chairman in 2020. Casper has overseen the company’s offerings for pharma customers, which spans from discovery, development, clinical activities and manufacturing.

5. Argenx
CEO: Tim Van Hauwermeiren

• Annualized return over tenure as CEO: 85.3%
• Start date: July 15, 2008
• 2021 total compensation: €6.1 million
• Glassdoor approval rating: Not available

The co-founder and CEO of Argenx NV, Tim Van Hauwermeiren, has more than two decades of experience in management and business development. Assuming the role of CEO in 2008 after co-founding the company, Hauwermeiren has achieved an annualized return over tenure as CEO of 85.3%. During his tenure, Hauwermeiren has overseen the recruitment of a competitive leadership team in Gent, Belgium and Boston and built a significant antibody pipeline.

6. Novo Nordisk
CEO: Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen

• Annualized return over tenure as CEO: 25.2%
• Start date: January 1, 2007
• 2021 total compensation: DKK 29.6 million
• Glassdoor approval rating: 95%

Joining Novo Nordisk in 1991, Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen has worked in several roles at the company, assuming the role of CEO in January 2017. In recent years, Jørgensen has worked to extend the company’s dominion to extend beyond diabetes to include obesity, hemophilia and other chronic diseases. Jørgensen has achieved an annualized return over his tenure of 25.2%.

7. Genmab
CEO: Jan G. J. van de Winkel

• Annualized return over tenure as CEO: 41.5%
• Start date: June 1, 2010
• 2021 total compensation: DKK 7.9 million
• Glassdoor approval rating: 86%

Genmab co-founder and CEO Dr. van de Winkel was appointed as president and CEO in 2010. He has more than 25 years of experience in the therapeutic antibody field. Currently, the company has six approved medicines and a differentiated pipeline with approximately 20 preclinical projects.

In 2021, the company won FDA approval for Tivdak in collaboration with Seagen.

8. AbbVie
CEO: Richard A. Gonzalez

• Annualized return over tenure as CEO: 18.8%
• Start date: January 1, 2013
• 2021 total compensation: $23.9 million
• Glassdoor approval rating: 83%

AbbVie CEO ​​Richard A. Gonzalez had 30 years of experience at Abbott before assuming the mantle of CEO of AbbVie in 2013 when Abbott spun out the company. As CEO, Gonzalez has achieved an annualized return of close to 19%. In addition, the company achieved a robust growth rate of 23% in 2021 without debuting a major COVID-19 product.

9. Evotec
CEO: Dr. Werner Lanthaler

• Annualized return over tenure as CEO: 38.8%
• Start date: March 6, 2009
• 2021 total compensation: $4.0 million
• Glassdoor approval rating: 84%

Evotec CEO Dr. Werner Lanthaler began his tenure as CEO in 2009. Lanthaler has overseen the company’s evolution from a venture-backed biotech company into an international vaccine company. In addition, Lanthaler has led a string of acquisitions, strategic partnerships and the company’s initial public offering in 2005.

10. Sartorius Stedim Biotech
CEO: Joachim Kreuzburg

• Annualized return over tenure as CEO: 33.5%
• Start date: May 1, 2003 
• 2021 total compensation: €2.0 million
• Glassdoor approval rating: 86%

Sartorius Stedim Biotech CEO Joachim Kreuzburg assumed leadership of the company in 2007. He also is the CEO and executive for labor relations at the firm’s parent, Sartorius AG. Kreuzburg has also served as the chairman of the executive board of Sartorius AG since 2005. Kreuzburg also is a member of the Supervisory Board of Carl Zeiss AG.

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Filed Under: Drug Discovery and Development
Tagged With: AbbVie, Argenx, Eli Lilly, Evotec, Genmab, leadership, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Pharma 50, pharma execs, pharma executive, Sartorius Stedim Biotech, Thermo Fisher Scientific, West Pharmaceutical Services
 

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