PhRMA taps AZ exec for transition help

If you've been wondering who's going to take over at PhRMA when President and CEO Billy Tauzin departs in June, you'll be interested to learn that AstraZeneca VP Chip Davis is joining the group to help Tauzin pass the torch.

Davis is taking leave of absence from AstraZeneca so he can move to PhRMA next week; he'll work for the trade group until Tauzin's replacement is selected. While at PhRMA, he'll be working with AstraZeneca chief David Brennan, who's heading up the search committee. But he'll be reporting directly to Tauzin.

As VP of corporate external relations at AstraZeneca, Davis oversees the company's government relations, and he's been AstraZeneca's official liaison to PhRMA since 2004. During the healthcare reform debate, he spearheaded AstraZeneca's lobbying efforts, PhRMA's statement says. "We couldn't have found a better person to serve during the transition than Chip Davis," Tauzin asserts. "He not only understands our industry from top to bottom, but he also has forged close relationships with many of our board members and senior staff. ...I look forward to working with him over the next few months."

- read the release from PhRMA