Roche announces details of Genentech management shake-up

Swiss drug major Roche has announced the management changes that will take place when it completes its acquisition of USA-based Genentech.  Chairman and chief executive Arthur Levinson is to stand down from the  CEO position, to be replaced by Pascal Soriot. Susan Desmond-Hellman is  also to give up her role as president of product development, but will  continue to advise the company. Current executive vice president of  research and chief scientific officer Richard Scheller will now head the  Research and Early Development center, which will become a separate  entity. Marc Tessier-Lavigne, EVP of research and drug discovery will  succeed Dr Scheller. Chief medical officer Hal Barron will now be made  head of global development and an EVP. Ian Clark will move from  Genentech commercial operations to chief marketing officer of Roche  Pharmaceuticals. In addition, the Swiss firm confirmed that William  Burns, the CEO of Roche Pharma, will retire at the start of next year.