Changing Faces: Pharma and biotech, February 2026

The pharmaceutical and biotech sectors have seen a flurry of executive movement this month, with leadership changes spanning global giants, clinical-stage biotechs, and specialist pharma companies alike.

From a surprise boardroom shake-up at one of Europe's largest drugmakers to a string of CEO appointments at emerging companies, read on for the latest biotech and pharma moves.

Surprise move at Sanofi as Garijo takes the helm. In one of the month's most unexpected announcements, Belén Garijo was named CEO of Sanofi, a global biotech based in France with a focus on vaccines and immunology. The appointment brought an abrupt end to Paul Hudson's six-year tenure, which closed on 17th February. The board's decision came just weeks after Garijo stepped down from the top role at Merck, where she had spent 15 years – a career that encompassed both the pharma and electronics sides of the German group. Media reports suggested the board grew dissatisfied with the pace of returns from a substantial increase in R&D investment under Hudson.

Two long-serving biopharma CEOs prepare their exits. A pair of veteran chief executives also announced their forthcoming departures in February. Richard Pops will step down from Alkermes – a Massachusetts biopharma focused on psychiatric and neurological conditions – at the end of July, drawing a curtain on a 35-year reign as CEO. He will remain as chair of the board to support his successor, chief operating officer Blair Jackson, through the transition. Meanwhile, at Sarepta Therapeutics, a global biotech focused on precision genetic medicine for rare diseases, Doug Ingram announced plans to retire at the end of the year. Ingram has led Sarepta since 2017, joining shortly after the company brought its first exon-skipping Duchenne muscular dystrophy product, Exondys 51 (eteplirsen), to market.

MSD restructures with two new divisional heads. MSD, known as Merck & Co in the US, has appointed two senior leaders to head newly defined divisions, both reporting directly to chief executive Robert Davis. Jannie Oosthuizen, previously head of Merck Human Health US, will run the new oncology division. Taking charge of the non-oncology business is Brian Foard, who joins MSD from Sanofi, where he served as head of the specialty care business unit.

Four clinical-stage companies bring in new chief executives. A cluster of clinical-stage companies announced CEO appointments this month, each drawing on leaders with deep track records in rare disease, biotech, and specialty pharma.

• Hans Schambe joins BOOST Pharma – a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel off-the-shelf cell therapies for rare paediatric skeletal diseases – from Galecto Inc., where as president and CEO he led the company through significant scientific, clinical, and financial milestones, raising more than $500 million.
• Dr Geoff McDonough takes the top role at NodThera, a Boston-based biotech focused on a novel treatment paradigm for chronic inflammatory diseases. He was most recently president and CEO of Generation Bio, and before that held the same title at Sobi, where he oversaw substantial portfolio expansion and international growth.
• Michael Cola is the new CEO of Helus Pharma, a clinical-stage company developing proprietary novel serotonergic agonists. Cola brings more than 30 years of experience in neuroscience, rare disease, and specialty pharmaceuticals, including a stint as president of Shire PLC's specialty pharmaceutical business and senior roles at Astra-Merck and AstraZeneca.
• Dr Adam Rogers has been confirmed as president and CEO of NervGen Pharma, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing first-in-class neuroreparative therapeutics for spinal cord injury and other neurological conditions. Rogers co-founded Hemera Biosciences, a gene therapy company ultimately acquired by Johnson & Johnson, and had been serving as NervGen's interim CEO since July 2025.

Novartis veteran Tsai heads to Daiichi Sankyo. John Tsaihas been appointed global head of R&D at Daiichi Sankyo, a Japanese pharma company with a legacy cardiovascular business and a growing focus on antibody-drug conjugates. Tsai arrives from Novartis, where as chief medical officer he oversaw the development of 160 new projects and 500 clinical trials, culminating in regulatory approvals for 15 new medicines. Among the landmark treatments reaching patients under his leadership were Zolgensma (onasemnogene abeparvovec), the gene therapy for spinal muscular atrophy, and the prostate cancer radioligand therapy Pluvicto (lutetium Lu 177 vipivotide tetraxetan).

Roche recruits cancer epigenetics researcher for early development role. At Swiss pharma giant Roche, Mark Dawsonhas been named head of pharma research and early development. Dawson joins from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Victoria, Australia, where he served as associate director of research and led the development of several first-in-class epigenetic therapies, a number of which have progressed to clinical testing.

Digital medicine specialist moves to Pfizer. Marty Culjat is joining Pfizer as digital medicine & PDURS strategy lead within the Digital Health & Medicines team. Culjat brings more than five years spent heading up digital medicine and regulatory innovation at EVERSANA. He will join Ed Cox's team at the company.

Three companies bolster scientific leadership with senior appointments. A trio of clinical-stage companies have strengthened their leadership benches with new chief medical and scientific officers.

• Dr Leo Faoro takes up the role of chief medical officer at Alterome Therapeutics, a clinical-stage precision oncology company. He arrives from Quanta Therapeutics, where as CMO he oversaw the clinical development of several novel KRAS inhibitors.
• Rolando Gutierrez-Esteinou joins Oryzon, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on epigenetics and personalised medicine, as chief medical officer for CNS Programmes. His career spans senior leadership roles at Johnson & Johnson, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Novartis, as well as biotech and CRO settings; most recently he was CMO of Atai Life Sciences.
• Dr Michelle Morrow has been appointed chief scientific officer at Nucleome Therapeutics, a UK biotech using 3D genomics to discover precision medicines for complex diseases. She was previously CSO at Avacta Therapeutics, where she provided strategic leadership of discovery and preclinical research and steered the company's oncology programme from candidate selection through to IND approval.

Three biotechs strengthen C-Suites. Three further companies rounded out their senior teams with operational and technical hires.

• Sam Backenroth becomes chief financial officer at Aspargo Labs, a New York specialty pharma and med tech company converting existing medications to liquid oral suspensions delivered via a connected device; he brings close to 20 years of senior financial and strategic leadership experience in biotech and life sciences.
• At Arrivo Bio, a North Carolina biotech with drug candidates in major depressive disorder and severe acute pancreatitis, Kelly Abernathy has been promoted to chief operating officer from her previous role as VP of clinical development, in recognition of her leadership across the company's clinical programmes.
• Emilie Gauthy has been named chief technology officer at Zelluna, a Norwegian biotechnology company developing allogeneic off-the-shelf TCR-NK cell therapies for cancer. She has played a central role in building Zelluna's manufacturing and CMC capabilities since joining in 2022.

Specialty pharma adds European regional president. Merz Therapeutics, a mid-size specialty pharma company focused exclusively on neurological conditions, has tapped Dan Staner as regional president for Europe. Staner has held senior leadership positions at a number of major pharma companies, including Lilly and Moderna, with experience encompassing country and regional P&L management, product launches, and leading large cross-functional teams.

That’s it for our pharma and biotech hires, but stay tuned for our other hires roundups and remember, you can send your own hires to editorial@pharmaphorum.com for inclusion in this column.