Being effectively an ‘inside-outsider’, Emma Walmsley could bring a fresh and more commercially astute perspective to investment decisions. Photo: Reuters/GlaxoSmithKlineLondon: Emma Walmsley, GlaxoSmithKline’s (GSK) incoming CEO, breaks the mould as the first woman to lead a top global drugmaker and stands out among Big Pharma bosses as a consumer brands guru rather than a prescription medicines expert. Novartis CEO Joe Jimenez, meanwhile, was a former consumer goods executive at Heinz, although he did run Novartis’ pharma division before taking on the top job in Basel. Jimenez is, in fact, likely to be one of the people outside GSK that Walmsley works with most closely after she takes up her post at the end of March next year. Novartis has an option to sell its holding to GSK in 2018 but some think Walmsley and Jimenez could agree a deal before then.

Source: Mint September 20, 2016 15:22 UTC