Merck health unit president stepping down; other changes

Adam Schechter, president of Global Human Health (GHH) at US pharma giant Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK), is stepping down from his current position as of December 31, 2018, and will be shifting to an advisory capacity to the chief executive.

As a result, Merck says it is taking the opportunity to reshape its commercial organization and is creating two new executive committee roles. Frank Clyburn has been promoted to chief commercial officer and Michael Nally has been promoted to chief marketing officer.

Mr Schechter has been the president of GHH since 2010. He joined the company in 1988. Schechter has been responsible for the performance of Merck’s human health business during a period of significant change, and also evolved Merck’s commercial organization to strengthen the company’s ability to bring its medicines and vaccines to people in more than 140 countries around the world. In addition to his accomplishments in Merck’s commercial organization throughout his 30-year career, Mr Schechter led the integration of Merck and Schering-Plough, a significant milestone in the creation of today’s Merck.