Novartis taps new U.S. pharma chief

The musical chairs game in Novartis' top management ranks is continuing as new pharma chief Joe Jimenez revamps the ranks. The Swiss drugmaker has appointed Ludwig Hantson to top its U.S. pharmaceuticals business. Hantson takes over for Alex Gorsky, whose departure was announced in February; previously, Hantson ran Novartis' European pharma business.

Jiminez, Hantson's boss, said his experience with Europe's penny-pinching healthcare systems should help him deal with increasingly cost-conscious insurers and government payers in the U.S.

Meanwhile, Paulo Costa, president and CEO of Novartis, which oversees all Novartis Group companies in North America, will retire June 30; he'll be replaced by Gary Rosenthal, currently CFO and interim chief of the U.S. pharma biz.

- read the Wall Street Journal story [1]
- see the article [2] in the Star-Ledger
- check out the item [3] at Medical Marketing & Media

ALSO: PDI, which provides contract sales teams to pharma companies, said it's made a deal with Novartis to sell an unnamed product in the U.S.; the arrangement will involve 100 contract sales reps. Report [4]

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Novartis discovery chief departs in management shakeup. Novartis report [5]
U.S. CEO exits Novartis. Novartis report [6]
CEO: Novartis plans big restructuring. Novartis report [7]
Lagging sales spur Novartis layoffs. Novartis report [8]