OREANDA-NEWS. February 08, 2018. The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) held its board meeting today, officially welcoming three new elected officers. Robert A. Bradway, chairman and CEO, Amgen, became chairman of the PhRMA board of directors. Olivier Brandicourt, CEO, Sanofi was named chairman-elect and James Robinson, president, Astellas Americas assumed the role of board treasurer.

Bradway formerly held the position of board treasurer and succeeds Joaquin Duato, executive vice president and worldwide chairman, pharmaceuticals, Johnson & Johnson as PhRMA board chairman.

“I am pleased to welcome Bob as PhRMA board chairman and thank Joaquin for his invaluable leadership and significant contributions over the last year,” said PhRMA president and CEO, Stephen J. Ubl. “Our companies are developing therapies unimaginable just a decade ago with the potential to cure and transform how we treat serious and debilitating diseases. Bob’s proven leadership ability and deep knowledge of the biopharmaceutical industry will be incredible assets as we work with health care stakeholders to foster this culture of innovation and advance public policies that ensure patients’ access to these transformative medicines.”

Bradway has been Amgen’s chairman since 2013 and CEO since 2012. He joined the company in 2006 and served as the company’s president and chief operating officer prior to the role of CEO. Bradway is a member of the board of directors of The Boeing Company. He serves on the board of trustees of the University of Southern California and the advisory board of the Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics at that university. Bradway is also chairman of the CEO Roundtable on Cancer and a member of the American Heart Association’s CEO Roundtable. Bradway holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Amherst College and a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard University.

“We are on the cusp of a true revolution in biology, including how we research and develop new therapies, offering a real chance to transform how we treat patients and address the burden of disease,” said Bradway. “I am honored to take on this new role during a pivotal time and look forward to working with stakeholders across the health care system to develop market-based solutions to help fuel this incredible innovation and address patient access and affordability challenges.”

Brandicourt has served as CEO, Sanofi, since April 2015. Brandicourt joined Sanofi from Bayer Healthcare AG where he served as CEO from 2013 until 2015. Prior to joining Bayer Healthcare, Brandicourt worked at Pfizer for 13 years, where he served as a member of the executive leadership team and as president and general manager of the emerging markets and established products business units. He is an honorary member of the Royal College of Physicians in London and a board member of the Children’s Aid Society in New York. Brandicourt studied medicine at the University of Paris V where he specialized in infectious diseases and tropical medicine and holds an advanced degree in cellular and immunological pathophysiology from the Paris Descartes University. Brandicourt also received a master’s degree in biology from the University of Paris XII.

“Today, we are standing at one of the most exciting junctures in the history of human health. Our understanding of human biology has never been greater, and our ability to translate this knowledge into innovation enables us to develop cures for patients at a pace we’ve never experienced,” said Brandicourt. “PhRMA members are aware of the critical role we play in providing access. We understand the trust placed in us, and we accept the unique responsibility we have, not only to continue to develop and discover new, lifesaving medicines, but to ensure those medicines reach patients.”

Robinson has been president, Astellas Americas, since April 2016. Previously, he led the company’s pharmaceutical commercial organization in the United States since 2013. Robinson joined the company in 2005 as vice president of health systems. Prior to joining Astellas, he served as vice president of hepatitis sales and managed care at the former Schering-Plough Corporation, which was acquired by Merck & Company in 2009. Robinson is a member of The Commercial Club of Chicago and serves on the BioScience Council for ChicagoNEXT, a private-public partnership dedicated to expanding Chicago’s business climate and driving growth and opportunity in science, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship. He is a founding member and serves on the board of directors of MATTER, a group of leaders passionate about creating products and services that advance the health care industry. He also serves on the board of directors of the Chicago Botanic Garden and the board of trustees of the Museum of Science and Industry. Robinson is a graduate of DePaul University.