Roche Diagnostics CEO Thomas Schinecker to Become Roche CEO

Roche’s board of directors has appointed Roche Diagnostics CEO Thomas Schinecker as CEO of Roche, effective on March 15 2023.
 
He will succeed Severin Schwan, who will be proposed as Roche’s new board chairman at the company annual general meeting. Schwan may replace Christoph Franz, who has decided not to seek re-election to Roche’s board of directors.
 
“After serving twelve years on the Board of Directors, nine of which as Chairman, I have decided not to seek re-election to the Board next year,” Franz told the press. “We have achieved many important milestones and with the conclusion of Roche’s 125th anniversary, it is now the right time for a change in leadership. I am proud of the significant contributions Roche has made in fighting the pandemic during the last two and a half years. I am also pleased that we could secure long term stability in our shareholder structure with the repurchase of Roche shares from Novartis. With the strong pipelines of innovative products in both our Pharma and Diagnostic businesses, we are set for continued growth in the future.”
 
Schwan has been a member of Roche’s corporate executive committee since 2006, and CEO of the company since 2008. He’s been a member of the board of directors since 2013.
 
“I have very much appreciated the close and trusting collaboration with Christoph and would like to thank him,” said Schwan. “I am honored to stand for the position of Chairman of the Roche Board of Directors and will continue to dedicate all my efforts to the future of this company.”
 
Schinecker has a Ph.D. in molecular biology and has been serving Roche in different leadership positions wince 2003. He was appointed CEO of the Diagnostics division and became a member of the corporate executive committee in August 2019.
 
“I am deeply honoured by the Board’s decision and the trust placed in me,” Schinecker said. “I am delighted to carry on working closely with Roche colleagues and the Corporate Executive Committee. Like we’ve done for the last 125 years, I am excited about the future innovations we will bring to patients around the globe.”