More than two months after Severin Schwan announced he’s leaving Roche and handing the reins to diagnostics chief Thomas Schinecker, the pharma giant has revealed who’s taking Schinecker’s place.
Matt Sause
Matt Sause, who currently leads Roche’s North American diagnostics business, is popping the cork on the big global promotion to take effect on March 15. The 20-year Roche veteran has served a handful of roles across the company’s diagnostics and pharma units, including a stint at Genentech where he was lifecycle leader for blockbuster Tecentriq’s head and neck cancer programs.
“Matt Sause has had an exceptional career with Roche and I am very pleased that we can once again internally appoint a leader of his caliber to become the next CEO Roche Diagnostics,” Schwan said in a statement on Monday.
The company was not available for an interview.
After leading several drugs to blockbuster status – including Tecentriq, Ocrevus, Kadcyla and Actemra — over 14 years at Roche, Schwan announced his run was over back in July, as he prepares to move into the board chairman role in March. Christoph Franz, who’s been chairman since 2014, didn’t seek re-election. The move comes as Roche beefs up its early stage pipeline, and Evaluate predicts the company will rank second on its list of biggest pharmas by 2028.
That leaves Schinecker with some big shoes to fill. The incoming CEO, who’s also been with Roche for about 20 years, is following a similar trajectory as Schwan, who also led Roche Diagnostics for two years before taking the helm.
Diagnostics sales were up 11% in the first half of the year, Roche recently reported, thanks in part to its Covid-19 portfolio. The company’s also building out its capabilities in other areas, such as HPV, and swiftly developed three PCR tests for monkeypox last quarter.
Schwan was one of the highest-paid European pharma chiefs of 2021, claiming a package worth 11.5 million CHF ($12.4 million).
