Novo Nordisk A/S Chairman Helge Lund is stepping down after a boardroom dispute over the tempo of change and can be changed by Lars Rebien Sorensen, a earlier chief of the Danish drugmaker who now heads its greatest shareholder.
The transfer is a part of a wider shakeup on the maker of Wegovy and Ozempic medicine, with greater than half of the board members set to depart. It comes not lengthy after Novo changed its chief government officer following a droop within the shares, as the corporate has fallen behind US rival Eli Lilly & Co.
The overhaul adopted a disagreement between the board and the Novo Nordisk Basis, the largest shareholder in Novo Nordisk, over the extent and velocity of a deliberate shakeup, in keeping with Lund.
“It has not been potential to succeed in a standard understanding,” Lund mentioned in an announcement.
The muse prevailed over Lund and different departing administrators in its drive for rapid, sweeping modifications on the board in assist of latest Chief Govt Officer Maziar Mike Doustdar’s technique. The brand new chief is making an attempt to instill a “efficiency tradition” to regain misplaced floor in the important thing US market.
“The board was maybe too sluggish in recognizing the importance of the market modifications in the US and thereby additionally prompting administration to take the mandatory actions to regulate the bottom of the corporate in the direction of the long run enterprise surroundings,” Sorensen mentioned on a name with analysts. “It was a matter of velocity and scope, principally, that we disagreed on.”
After pioneering the brand new class of weight-loss medicine, Novo has fallen behind Lilly within the booming market. The corporate has grappled with manufacturing points within the US and a surge in gross sales of copycat medicine when demand for Wegovy outstripped provide. Doustdar, who took over in August, plans to slash Novo’s workforce by 11%.
Weight-Loss Increase
The newest strikes will lengthen the turmoil at Novo, which was recognized for its steady company tradition till the weight-loss growth prompted a surge in its shares that briefly made the corporate probably the most beneficial in Europe. That was adopted by a droop when rivals led by Lilly muscled into the market.
Novo has additionally been below stress from US President Donald Trump’s push to decrease drug costs. Trump just lately touted plans to chop the price of Ozempic, the blockbuster diabetes remedy, to simply $150 a month. Nonetheless, the dimensions of the board overhaul jolted traders.
The board was too sluggish to acknowledge and adapt to modifications within the US market, and did not stem an overexpansion on the firm, at the same time as progress slowed, in keeping with Sorensen.
“It is a big failure,” he mentioned on a media name.
Novo shares traded 2.4% decrease on Tuesday in Copenhagen. They’re down 56% over the previous 12 months.
‘Clear Sweep’
“What surprises me is that it feels a bit like what you’d name a clear sweep — like once you break up with a accomplice and minimize off all contact instantly,” mentioned Lars Hytting, head of buying and selling at ArthaScope, an investor in Novo. “I’ve been on this sport for almost 20 years, and I can’t recall seeing such a large-scale shake-up unexpectedly, particularly not at an organization the scale of Novo Nordisk.”
When earlier CEO Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen was changed with Doustdar, Sorensen joined the supervisory board, initially as an observer, with a full director’s position anticipated from subsequent yr. The muse then issued an announcement saying Sorensen had beneficial expertise and insights to share with Novo, suggesting he’d play a key position within the firm’s overhaul.
Along with Lund, Vice Chairman Henrik Poulsen and 5 unbiased board members is not going to stand for reelection, Novo mentioned. Solely 5 administrators will stay, previous to a unprecedented common assembly on Nov. 14. Amongst them is Kasim Kutay, CEO of Novo Holding A/S, which oversees the muse’s investments.
Novo additionally proposed a number of new members for election to the board, together with former Pfizer Inc. Chief Scientific Officer Mikael Dolsten and ex-Danske Financial institution A/S Chief Monetary Officer Stephan Engels. Helena Saxon, a former Investor A/B chief monetary officer, was proposed for addition to the board subsequent yr.
Lund additionally just lately departed his different board chair place — from power large BP Plc — after the hole between BP and its friends widened. The corporate reset its strategic course earlier this yr to return to specializing in oil and gasoline after a 2020 pivot into low-carbon ventures failed. Weeks later, after the brand new technique obtained a lukewarm reception from traders, Lund mentioned he would step down.
One of many wealthiest charitable organizations on this planet, the Novo basis controls the drugmaker through a two-tier share construction. Sorensen beforehand served as CEO of Novo Nordisk from 2000 by 2016.
