Bristol-Myers Squibb appoints executive as another retires
pharmafile | April 10, 2013 | Appointment | Manufacturing and Production, Medical Communications, Research and Development, Sales and Marketing | BMS
Bristol-Myers Squibb has announced the appointment of Francis Cuss as executive VP and chief scientific officer following Elliott Sigal’s intentions to retire from the firm in June.
Sigal has served as the company’s chief scientific officer since 2004 and on the company’s Board of directors since 2011.
“Francis is a strong and collaborative leader with broad experience in both discovery and development,” said Lamberto Andreotti, chief executive, BMS.
“He has been a key member of our productive R&D team who, under Elliott’s leadership, has delivered our strong portfolio and pipeline. As our company embarks on the next phase of pipeline execution, this is a natural time for Francis to lead our R&D team.”
Cuss said: “I am honoured to have the opportunity to lead this talented R&D team to fulfil our mission and find new ways to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines for patients with unmet medical needs.”
Prior to joining BMS, Dr Cuss led teams in the development and approval of several blockbuster medicines. He has a proven track record of leading the company’s research organisation to become among the most efficient in the industry.
Cuss joined Bristol-Myers Squibb in 2003 as senior VP, Drug Discovery, adding responsibility for Discovery Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology in May 2006.
Cuss became a member of the company’s senior management team in 2010. Prior to joining BMS, he spent 14 years at Schering-Plough and three years at Glaxo, holding positions of increasing responsibility in discovery, clinical research and medical affairs in both the US and Europe.
Sigal joined BMS in 1997 as vice president of the newly created department of Applied Genomics. He served as senior VP, Early Discovery and Applied Technology, head of Drug Discovery & Exploratory Development, and senior VP, Global Clinical and Pharmaceutical Development, before being appointed chief scientific officer and president of R&D in 2004.
Sigal has been a member of the company’s senior management team since 2001, was appointed executive vice president in 2006 and was elected to the Board of directors in 2011.
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