AstraZeneca appoints Pascal Soriot from Roche as new CEO

AstraZeneca  has appointed Pascal Soriot as its new chief executive, poaching him from rivals Roche.

Since 2010, the 53-year-old French national has been Chief Operating Officer at Roche's pharmaceutical division. He is expected to take on his new responsibilities at AstraZeneca on 1 October 2012.

“I am excited and honoured to have been asked to lead AstraZeneca. Throughout my career I have had enormous respect for the people of AstraZeneca and what they have achieved. No-one is blind to the challenges that confront the pharmaceutical sector and this company, but the underlying strengths of AstraZeneca in delivering on its strategy are clear.”

Pascal Soriot, Chief Operating Officer at Roche

AstraZeneca’s former CEO, David Brennan, left the company on 1st June 2012, leaving the company without a permanent CEO. In the interim, the company's chief financial officer, Simon Lowth, has acted as CEO and will continue to do so until Soriot arrives.