Pfizer Recruits Chief Development Officer William Pao From Roche R&D Team

William Pao will oversee Pfizer's global product development organization, while Roche appointed Hans Clevers to take over from Pao as head of Roche’s pRED.

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New R&D leaders are joining Pfizer and Roche • Source: Alamy

Pfizer Inc. hired Roche Holding AG head of pharma Research and Early Development (pRED) William Pao as its chief development officer, triggering a leadership change within Roche's R&D leadership team. Both companies announced the respective transitions on 1 February, with Pao appointed to succeed Rod MacKenzie at Pfizer and Roche board member Johannes (Hans) Clevers tapped to succeed Pao.

Pao will oversee the global product development organization at Pfizer, responsible for the clinical development of Pfizer's innovative medicines pipeline across therapeutic areas, including inflammation and immunology, internal medicine, hospital, oncology and rare diseases

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