Ian C. Read, chairman and CEO of Pfizer, Inc, was elected chairman of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA)  at the trade association's annual meeting, succeeding Robert J. Hugin, chairman and CEO of Celgene Corporation, as PhRMA's chairman. Also elected were Kenneth C. Frazier, chairman, president, and CEO of Merck & Co, Inc., as chairman-elect of the PhRMA Board of Directors, and George A. Scangos, Ph.D., CEO of Biogen Idec, as Board treasurer. 

“Bob Hugin is a true champion of the value that innovative medicines deliver to patients, public health and our economy. Over the past year, his tireless efforts to create new dialogues with partners in the patient community and enthusiasm for better conveying the value of our sector have greatly enhanced our advocacy for forward-looking policies that promote innovation and provide patient access to new medicines,” said PhRMA President and CEO John J. Castellani, in a press staement. “At a time when collaborative medical science and healthcare delivery in the U.S. and around the world are rapidly evolving, we are fortunate to have Ian Read as chairman,” Castellani added. “His vision for the future of our healthcare system will help guide PhRMA as we embark on the many challenges and opportunities ahead.” 

Read is the chairman and CEO of Pfizer. He began his career with Pfizer in 1978 as an operational auditor. Mr. Read worked in Latin America through 1995, in roles including chief financial officer, Pfizer Mexico, and country manager, Pfizer Brazil. In 1996, he was appointed president of Pfizer's International Pharmaceuticals Group, with responsibility for Latin America and Canada. He became executive vice-president, Europe, in 2000, and was named a corporate vice-president in 2001, assuming responsibility for Canada, in addition to Europe, in 2002. He later became accountable for operations in both the Africa/Middle East region and Latin America. In 2006, he became senior vice president, Pfizer, and group president of the Worldwide Biopharmaceutical Businesses, which he led through December 2010. In that role, he oversaw five global business units — Primary Care, Specialty Care, Oncology, Established Products and Emerging Markets.

“Our highest priority and purpose as an industry is to deliver life-saving medicines to those who need them most. We are poised to enter another golden era of innovation, transforming the way we do research and development to speed the discovery of innovative new medicines,” Read said, in a statement. “To be successful in our purpose, we must have a reputation that ensures the full support of all segments of civil society. We are judged, ultimately, by our actions, and we must work hard to earn the trust and respect of our regulators, legislators, healthcare professionals, R&D partners and most importantly, the patients who depend on us, now and into the future.”

Frazier is chairman and CEO of Merck & Co. Previously he served as president of Merck with responsibility for the company's three major divisions: Global Human Health, Merck's sales and marketing division for pharmaceutical and vaccine products; Merck Manufacturing, the company's manufacturing and supply division; and Merck Research Laboratories, Merck's research organization. He has held a broad range of senior management positions since joining Merck in 1992 as vice-president, general counsel, and secretary of the Astra Merck Group. He received his bachelor's degree from Pennsylvania State University and holds a JD from Harvard Law School. 

Scangos was appointed CEO of Biogen Idec in June 2010. He joined Biogen Idec from Exelixis, Inc., where he served as president and CEO since October 1996. From 1987 to 1996, he held various positions at Bayer, Inc., including senior vice-president of R&D, and president of Bayer Biotechnology, where he was responsible for research, business development, process development, manufacturing, engineering, and quality assurance of Bayer's recombinant products. Before joining Bayer in 1987, he was professor of biology at Johns Hopkins University. He received a B.A. in Biology from Cornell University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts.

Source: PhRMA