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The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country’s leading innovative biopharmaceutical research companies, which are laser focused on developing innovative medicines that transform lives and create a healthier world. Together, we are fighting for solutions to ensure patients can access and afford medicines that prevent, treat and cure disease. Over the last decade, PhRMA member companies have invested more than $850 billion in the search for new treatments and cures, and they support nearly five million jobs in the United States.
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Sanofi’s Paul Hudson and Merck’s Robert Davis assume new leadership positions
WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 19, 2025) – The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) today announced that Pfizer Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Albert Bourla, has assumed the role of chair of the PhRMA Board of Directors. PhRMA also announced that Paul Hudson, Chief Executive Officer at Sanofi, has become board chair-elect and Robert Davis, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Merck, will serve as treasurer.
“Breakthroughs in how we treat disease are changing people’s lives and helping to solve some of the most difficult health care challenges facing patients and society,” said Dr. Albert Bourla. “We can overcome the most difficult of challenges when our industry and government leaders work together for a common good. That’s why I look forward to working with policymakers across the country to address the burden of chronic disease and other devastating conditions, improve patients’ lives, and ensure lifechanging medicines are available and affordable for people who need them.”
Since becoming Chairman and CEO in 2019, Dr. Bourla has led the company’s transformation into a science-driven powerhouse, overseeing groundbreaking innovations such as the rapid development of the first COVID-19 vaccine and antiviral treatment. Under his leadership, the company has realized a record number of drug and vaccine approvals, doubled the size of its oncology pipeline through the acquisition of Seagen, and restructured its commercial operations to better serve its purpose. During his more than 30 years at Pfizer, Dr. Bourla has run a wide variety of businesses across the company, and now leads its global team of over 80,000 employees.
“We face a moment of incredible opportunity as both an industry and society,” said PhRMA President and CEO Steve Ubl. “Over the next year, our organization will be laser focused on strengthening our innovation ecosystem and addressing broken incentives in the market to help lower costs and improve access for patients. I am delighted to have Dr. Bourla at the helm of our board during this time. His thoughtful leadership and commitment to improving patients’ lives have earned him the trust and respect of his colleagues and policymakers.”
Dr. Bourla succeeds Daniel O’Day, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Gilead Sciences, as PhRMA board chair. Mr. O’Day joined Gilead in 2019 following a 30-year career at Roche and Genentech. O’Day has led efforts to build on Gilead’s legacy in antiviral medicines and transform the company into one that also develops therapies for cancer and other life-threatening conditions.
“It has been an honor to work alongside the rest of the PhRMA Board in the role of chair as we focus our efforts on increasing access and affordability and delivering more innovation for patients,” said Daniel O’Day. “Today’s medicines prevent, cure, and treat what were once life-threatening diseases. It’s important that we both preserve the ecosystem that allows us to innovate and that we address patient affordability. I look forward to continuing these important efforts under Albert’s leadership in the months ahead.”
“I’d like to thank Dan O’Day for his steadfast leadership of our board during the last year,” continued PhRMA’s Steve Ubl. “He is a tireless advocate for patients and innovation. We are all grateful for his service as board chair, and we look forward to his continued contributions on behalf of America’s patients and biopharmaceutical industry.”
Paul Hudson of Sanofi and Robert Davis of Merck also assumed new leadership positions on the PhRMA board. Mr. Hudson joined Sanofi in 2019 after leading Novartis from 2016 through 2019. He also previously served as president at AstraZeneca US. Mr. Davis became CEO of Merck in 2021 and chairman of the board in 2022. He joined the company as chief financial officer in 2014 after serving in senior leadership roles at Baxter and Eli Lilly and Company.
“Recent breakthroughs in the discovery and development of innovative treatments - and sometimes cures - are bringing incredible hope to patients and their families,” said Paul Hudson. “But often these medicines are unaffordable because of misaligned incentives in the health care system. Last year, we made important progress in advancing reforms that would lead to better access and lower out-of-pocket costs at the pharmacy. I look forward to working with my colleagues and policymakers to get these patient-centered reforms across the finish line this year.”
“Advances in science and medicine are transforming how we treat, cure and prevent disease,” said Rob Davis. “These advances wouldn’t be possible without smart policies that encourage risk taking and robust investments in scientific research. We all have a responsibility to protect those policies and the engine of biomedical innovation that is transforming people’s lives. That’s why we will continue to build bipartisan support for addressing systemic problems in the system that drive up costs for patients and fix the flaws in the government price-setting law that undermine future innovation.”