Merck & Co. has named Joseph Romanelli, former head of Merck’s business in China and most recently CEO of JiXing Pharmaceuticals, a Shanghai, China-based bio/pharmaceutical company, as head of Human Health International, effective August 1, 2022.

Mr. Romanelli will report directly to Robert M. Davis, CEO and President, Merck & Co. In this role, Romanelli will have profit and loss responsibility for Merck’s $22-billion international human health business and lead a team of 14,000 employees in more than 75 markets outside of the US.

Romanelli returns to Merck after serving as CEO of JiXing Pharmaceuticals since 2021. From 2016 through 2021, Romanelli led Merck’s business in China and was based in Shanghai. During his tenure, China became Merck’s second-largest market. Romanelli joined Merck in 1996 and served in a variety of strategic and operational roles with increasing responsibility and scope.

The naming of a new head of its international human health business follows other executive changes for the company’s human health business. In February (February 2022), Jannie Oosthuizen, who led Merck’s Global Marketing for Oncology and Merck & Co.’s business in Japan from 2016 to 2020, was named head of Human Health US.

Also, earlier this year (2022), Arpa Garay, who led Merck’s Global Marketing and Digital for Oncology and previously led Global Marketing for Pharmaceuticals, Commercial Analytics and Digital Marketing at Merck & Co. from 2019 to 2021, was named lead of Human Health Global Marketing. In her new role, she will have responsibility for Merck’s long-term strategy across the company’s human health portfolio.

Source: Merck & Co.