1. Daniel Lucius Vasella was born on 15 August 1953 and is a Swiss medical doctor, author, and executive who was CEO and chairman of the Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis AG, the world's fifth largest drug company.
19 Facts About Daniel Vasella
1. 2.
In February 2013 Vasella was awarded close to $78 million in a "golden handshake".
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Daniel Vasella is an honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
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Daniel Vasella is a former member of the steering committee of the Bilderberg Group.
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Daniel Vasella's father was a history professor at the local university, and his mother was a housewife.
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When Daniel Vasella was 13 years old, his father died from complications of surgery.
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Daniel Vasella completed his residency at the University Hospital in Bern and the city hospital in Zurich, before returning to Bern as chief resident.
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Daniel Vasella was awarded an honorary doctorate for medicine by the University of Basel in 2002.
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Daniel Vasella held a number of medical positions in Switzerland before being hired in 1988 by Sandoz Pharmaceutical Corporation, the former US subsidiary of Swiss pharmaceutical company, Sandoz.
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Daniel Vasella remained there until 1992, when he was promoted to CEO of parent company, Sandoz Pharma Ltd.
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Daniel Vasella helped to orchestrate the 1996 merger between Sandoz and Ciba-Geigy, another Swiss pharmaceutical company.
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Daniel Vasella was appointed CEO of the combined entity and a member of the board of directors.
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In January 2010, Daniel Vasella decided to step down as CEO.
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Daniel Vasella was replaced by his hand-picked successor, Joseph Jimenez, the Division Head of Novartis Pharmaceuticals at the time.
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In January 2013, Novartis announced that Daniel Vasella would be retiring as chairman of the board of directors in February 2013.
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Daniel Vasella was named an honorary chairman, to be succeeded by Jorg Reinhard in August 2013.
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Daniel Vasella met Anne-Laurence Moret, the niece of former Sandoz CFO, CEO, and chairman Marc Moret, in 1973, and they were married in 1978.
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Daniel Vasella's older brother, Andrea Vasella, was a professor at the ETH Zurich.
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Daniel Vasella is a patron of the arts and enjoys skiing and spending time outdoors.