Former head of Operation Warp Speed loses board seat over sexual harassment claims

 

GlaxoSmithKline’s board of directors announced today that it terminated Moncef Slaoui as the chair of the Galvani board of directors.

Slaoui, who served as the head of Operation Warp Speed — the Trump administration’s program to accelerate COVID-19 vaccine development — was terminated effective immediately, according to a news release from GSK, the majority shareholder of Galvani Bioelectronics.

Termination of Slaoui follows the receipt of a letter alleging against him sexual harassment and inappropriate conduct towards a GSK employee. The allegations refer to incidents that occurred several years ago when he was a GSK employee.

Once GSK received the letter with the allegations, its board immediately initiated an investigation, bringing in a law firm to conduct it. That investigation substantiated the allegations made against Slaoui and remains ongoing.

“Dr. Slaoui’s behaviours are wholly unacceptable,” GSK wrote in the release. “They represent an abuse of his leadership position, violate company policies, and are contrary to the strong values that define GSK’s culture. The company expects everyone at GSK to behave in accordance with its values, especially its leaders where its standards are the highest. Sexual harassment and any abuse of leadership position are strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated.”

Current Galvani board member and the SVP of development at GSK, Christopher Corsico, has been appointed as the new chair of the board of Galvani. GSK SVP of legal, R&D & global commercial franchises Amy Altshul was also appointed to the board.

“GSK’s leadership is firmly committed to building a safe and respectful environment for every employee,” GSK wrote. “The company has established policies and resources to manage issues related to workplace safety and conduct while protecting the privacy and wellbeing of its employees. Over the last few years, it has worked hard to prioritize and enhance efforts to ensure that all employees feel respected and included.”