Merck & Co. Org chart
This Merck & Co. org chart highlights the company’s organizational structure and leadership team, including key executives such as Robert M. Davis (President & CEO) , Joseph Romanelli (President, Human Health International) , and Dean Y. Li (EVP & President, Merck Research Laboratories) . It provides a clear overview of the leadership team’s roles and how they work together to achieve organizational goals and ensure effective management across all functions.
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Merck & Co. Leadership Team
Executives
Profile Summary
Robert M. Davis
President & CEO
Rob Davis serves as the president of Merck, with responsibility for the company’s operating divisions – Human Health, Animal Health, Manufacturing and Merck Research Laboratories. He previously served as executive vice president, Global Services, and the company’s chief financial officer. Rob joined the company as chief financial officer in 2014 with additional responsibility for real estate operations, corporate strategy and business development. In 2016, his role was expanded to include responsibility for information technology and procurement forming Global Services. He became president in April 2021. Prior to joining Merck, Rob was corporate vice president and president of Baxter’s Medical Products business. He held several other positions during his tenure at Baxter, including president of Baxter’s Renal business, chief financial officer and treasurer. Before joining Baxter in 2004, Rob held numerous positions of increasing responsibility over 14 years at Eli Lilly and Company. Rob serves on the board of directors for Duke Energy Corporation and is a member of its compensation and finance committees. In addition, he is a board member of Project Hope, a non-profit organization focused on empowering health care workers to deliver expert care when and where it is needed most. Rob received his J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law, his M.B.A from Northwestern University's Kellogg Graduate School of Management and his bachelor’s degree in finance from Miami University.
Joseph Romanelli
President, Human Health International
Joseph Romanelli is president, Human Health International for Merck. He has P&L responsibility for Merck’s 75-plus markets outside of the U.S. and leads a team of 14,000 colleagues. From 2021 to mid-2022, Joseph served as chief executive officer of JiXing Pharmaceuticals, a China-based biopharmaceutical company. Prior to JiXing, Joseph served in a variety of strategic and operational roles with increasing responsibility at Merck and Schering-Plough for 25 years. He led Merck’s business in China from 2016 through 2021. During his tenure in China, Merck became the second largest multi-national pharmaceutical company by revenue in the market, as well as the second largest subsidiary for the company globally. Joseph’s previous roles at Merck include serving as chief of staff to the president of Human Health and managing the Human Health business for multiple markets in Asia Pacific. In addition, he led the Investor Relations team at Merck. Joseph received his undergraduate degree from the University of Delaware and his master’s in Business Administration from Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Management.
Dean Y. Li
EVP & President, Merck Research Laboratories
Dean Li serves as executive vice president and president of Merck Research Laboratories. He leads the company’s worldwide human vaccines and therapeutics research and development organization. Since joining Merck in 2017 Dean has held leadership roles in the Translational Medicine and Discovery functions and was appointed to President, Merck Research Laboratories in January 2021. Prior to joining Merck, Dean held positions of increasing responsibility in translational medical research at the University of Utah. Most recently he served as the H.A. & Edna Benning Professor of Medicine and Cardiology, chief scientific officer, associate vice president and vice dean at the University of Utah Health System. From 2015 to 2016, he also served as interim CEO of Associated Regional University Pathologists, one of the United States’ largest clinical reference laboratories. During his tenure at the University of Utah, he co-founded several biotechnology companies based upon research conducted in his laboratory, including Recursion Pharmaceuticals, Hydra Biosciences and Navigen Pharmaceuticals. Dean received his Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Chicago and his graduate and clinical training at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Dean is a board-certified cardiologist, a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians.
Sanat Chattopadhyay
EVP & President, Merck Manufacturing Division
Sanat Chattopadhyay has an extensive career in the pharmaceutical industry, with roles at companies such as Ashland, Merck & Co. Inc., Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, and Aventis. Currently serving as a Board Member at Ashland, Sanat has held various executive positions, including Senior Vice President roles in global manufacturing operations and biologics, vaccines, and sterile manufacturing. Sanat's educational background includes studies at Jadavpur University and NITIE.
Previous or Current Companies (Board, Advisor, Employer)
Sanofi
Richard R. DeLuca Jr.
EVP & President, Merck Animal Health
Richard R. DeLuca Jr. is EVP & President, Merck Animal Health at Merck & Co..
Betty Larson
EVP & CHRO
Betty Larson is EVP & CHRO at Merck & Co..
Previous or Current Companies (Board, Advisor, Employer)
GE Healthcare Systems
Baxter
Becton Dickinson
George Addona
Senior Vice President
George Addona serves as Senior Vice President and Global Head of Discovery, Preclinical Development, and Translational Medicine at Merck, a position held since September 2008. In this role, George leads multidisciplinary teams across various therapeutic areas including Oncology, Immunology, and Neuroscience, and oversees discovery programs through clinical proof-of-concept. Prior experience includes roles at Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, where George held positions from Group Leader to Vice President of Quantitative Biosciences. George's early career includes senior scientist roles at Phylogix and Praecis Pharmaceuticals. Educational qualifications include a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Virginia and postdoctoral training in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at Harvard Medical School.
Previous or Current Companies (Board, Advisor, Employer)
Novartis
Cristal N. Downing
EVP, Chief Communications & Public Affairs Officer
Cristal Downing joined Merck as executive vice president and chief communications & public affairs officer in 2021. In this role, Cristal leads Merck’s Communications and Public Affairs organization and is responsible for the development, advancement and execution of the company’s communications and public affairs strategy. Guided by business priorities and dedication to all who depend on the company’s lifesaving and life-changing work, Cristal is focused on fostering a deep understanding of Merck’s scientific contributions and impact on global health, ensuring public policy priorities stay aligned with business priorities, and enabling strategic engagement and impactful outcomes with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders. Most recently, Cristal was vice president, Communications & Public Affairs, Medical Devices, at Johnson & Johnson, where she fortified and amplified the strategy that conveys how the business is elevating the standard of patient care. Prior to that, she held the role of vice president, Global Finance Communications at Johnson & Johnson, where she partnered with the chief financial officer to implement communications and public affairs strategies that enabled the CFO and CEO strategic platforms. Cristal also co-led the development and implementation of “Our Race to Health Equity” — Johnson & Johnson’s Racial & Social Justice strategy. She has more than 20 years of leadership expertise and capabilities, working in dynamic and complex organizations, including American Express, JP Morgan Chase, and Wells Fargo. Cristal is a member of the board of trustees for the Ronald McDonald House of Central & Northern New Jersey and is affiliated with several key communications associations. Cristal received her bachelor of arts degree in communications from Monmouth University.
Previous or Current Companies (Board, Advisor, Employer)
Caroline Litchfield
EVP, CFO
Caroline Litchfield is executive vice president and chief financial officer for Merck, responsible for the company’s finance, procurement and real estate operations. Prior to this role, Caroline served as the company’s treasurer, a position that included responsibility for treasury, tax and investor relations. From 2014 to 2018, Caroline led finance for Human Health, the company’s largest business, overseeing financial operations and reporting in approximately 100 markets. Previously, Caroline was the vice president and finance lead for the company’s Emerging Markets region when it was established in 2009 following the merger of Merck and Schering-Plough and was instrumental in integrating the two companies. She joined Merck in 1990 in its U.K. business and has held a wide range of positions of increasing responsibility in the company’s country, regional and global finance functions. Caroline received her Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from the University of Leicester and is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.
Jennifer Zachary
EVP, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary
Jennifer Zachary is an accomplished legal professional currently serving as the Executive Vice President and General Counsel at Merck since April 2018. Prior to this role, Jennifer held positions at Covington & Burling LLP as a Partner and Associate from February 2011 to March 2018. Jennifer also served as Associate Chief Counsel at the FDA from September 2005 to January 2011 and took on a detail position as Special Assistant United States Attorney with the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia in 2009. Earlier in the career, Jennifer was a Law Clerk for the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit from August 2004 to August 2005. Jennifer holds a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School (2001-2004) and a degree from Arizona State University (1996-2001).
Dave Williams
EVP, Chief Information & Digital Officer
Dave Williams is Merck’s chief information and digital officer. Under his direction the technology organization is focused on helping Merck’s research, manufacturing and business units develop and leverage digital solutions to serve customers and achieve business value. Previously, Dave was chief information officer of Merck Animal Health. There he led the development and execution of a digital transformation that deployed several cloud-based platforms and capabilities, resulting in streamlined operations and improved customer engagement. Prior to that, Dave founded Merck Animal Health Ventures, which brings together capabilities across veterinarians, start-ups, inventors, entrepreneurs, customers and investment partners to develop new solutions that address unmet customer needs. He also led Sure Petcare, a companion-animal portfolio of digital services and solutions within Merck Animal Health, where he had profit-and-loss responsibility. Earlier in his career, Dave was executive director of enterprise information management at Merck and held several IT leadership roles at Schering-Plough. Dave currently serves on the board of the National Center for Women in Technology and is a member of the Osage Partners Advisory Council. He holds a bachelor of science in economics and finance from the University of Scranton.
Greg Hersch
Senior Vice President, Enterprise Strategy And Venture
Greg Hersch is an accomplished executive with extensive experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors. Currently serving as Senior Vice President of Enterprise Strategy and Venture at Merck, Greg has previously held key positions at Novartis, including Digital Program Head for Global Drug Development, Head of Innovation in Global Development Operations, and Head of Strategy and Program Management for Novartis Operations. Earlier in the career, Greg was a Principal/Partner at The Boston Consulting Group and a Protein Biochemist and Biophysicist at MIT. Additionally, Greg contributed to Interplay Entertainment Corp. as Associate Producer and Deputy Head of OEM R&D. Academic credentials include a PhD in Biochemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Bachelor's Degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of California, Davis.
Previous or Current Companies (Board, Advisor, Employer)
Interplay Entertainment Corp.
Novartis
BCG
Martin Kuhn
Vice President
Martin Kuhn serves as the Vice President of MSD Animal Health Manufacturing, overseeing global large molecule manufacturing sites since October 2021. With extensive experience at Merck from January 2000 to the present, Martin has held multiple leadership roles, including Vice President and Executive Director, managing operations, technology, and maintenance for various manufacturing facilities focused on vaccines, biologics, and pharmaceuticals. As an Advisory Board Member at Waltron Bull & Roberts, LLC since September 2014, Martin contributes strategic insights. Martin's educational background includes a Master's degree in Business Administration and Management from Columbia University, a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point, and a Master of Science in Management Information Systems from the University of Southern California.
Josh Pearson
Vice President
Josh Pearson currently serves as Associate Vice President in the Department of Pharmacokinetics, Dynamics, Metabolism, and Bioanalytics at Merck, a position held since December 2018. Prior to this role, substantial experience was gained at Amgen from April 2006 to December 2018, culminating in the position of Director of Preclinical, overseeing support for protein therapeutics and small molecules across various therapeutic areas. Earlier roles at Amgen included Principal Scientist, Senior Scientist, and Scientist, focusing on pharmacokinetics, ADME, and molecular interactions in inflammation and oncology. Academic credentials include a PhD in Biophysical Enzymology of Drug Metabolizing Enzymes from the University of Washington, complemented by a BS in Biochemistry from California State University, Chico. Early research experience includes a position as a Graduate Research Assistant and a role as Research Scientist at Makel Engineering, Inc.
Previous or Current Companies (Board, Advisor, Employer)
University of Washington
