Ins & Outs: New year, new bosses at Sanofi, Gilead, and RocheIns & Outs: New year, new bosses at Sanofi, Gilead, and Roche

Wafaa Mamilli will join Roche as its chief digital technology officer (CDTO). Based in San Francisco, California, Mamilli will report to Thomas Schinecker, CEO, Roche, as of February 10, 2025. 

Roche is separating the roles of chief financial officer (CFO) and chief informatics officer (CIO), both currently held by Alan Hippe. Mamilli will assume informatics functions globally, taking over Hippe’s responsibilities for the Roche Group. 

“With the speed of technology and its strategic importance to our business now and for the future, I am thrilled to have Wafaa Mamilli joining us. She is a visionary leader with deep technical and business expertise who will be instrumental in leveraging the power of digitalization and artificial intelligence across our business,” said Schinecker. 

Previously, Mamilli was the chief digital and technology officer at Zoetis. She has also spent over two decades at Eli Lilly, where she held several leadership positions. 

Sanofi 

French pharmaceutical firm Sanofi is restructuring its board, appointing Jean-Paul Kress as an independent director and board member. He replaces Gilles Schnepp, who joined the board in 2020 and has now retired. 

“I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Gilles Schnepp for his unwavering dedication to the Board, and particularly his pivotal contribution to the evolution of the company’s governance in 2023,” said Frédéric Oudéa, chairman of the board, Sanofi.   

Patrick Kron has taken over as chairman of the appointment, governance, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) committee, whereas Kress will join the strategy and scientific committees. 

“The Board is delighted to welcome Jean-Paul Kress as its newest director,” Oudéa said.  “With over 30 years of diverse executive experience in the pharmaceutical sector, spanning large corporations and biotech firms, Jean-Paul brings exceptional global expertise to the Board. His insights will be invaluable in guiding the company’s ongoing strategic evolution in the biopharmaceutical field.” 

Kress served as CEO of MorphoSys from 2019 until its recent acquisition by Novartis in 2024. Before that, he was CEO of Syntimmune and chairman of the board at Erytech Pharma. 

Gilead Sciences 

Gilead announced the appointment of former Sanofi executive Dietmar Berger as its chief medical officer (CMO), succeeding Merdad Parsey. He will head the virology, oncology, and inflammation portfolio for Gilead and oversee the company’s global development and medical affairs. 

“Dietmar’s exceptional leadership in global drug development, his track record in delivering transformational therapies, and the breadth and depth of his experience make him an ideal choice as Gilead’s CMO,” said Daniel O’Day, CEO of Gilead.  

“We are delighted to welcome Dietmar to Gilead at a time when we are poised to extend our leadership in virology and deliver on our significant potential in oncology and inflammation.” 

With over 25 years of experience, Berger was the CMO and global head of development at Sanofi. He has also served senior development roles at Atara, Genentech, Bayer, and Amgen.