Emma Walmsley, the first female CEO of GlaxoSmithKline, is adding another female voice to the drug giant’s management team as she continues to reshape the drug giant.
Karenann Terrell, who served as chief information officer at Walmart for more than six years, recently joined GSK as its chief digital and technology officer. The move is the latest in a series of actions Walmsley has taken since becoming CEO in April not only in executive hires but moves also to accelerate drug development.
Terrell also will become part of the GSK “corporate executive team.”
“The impact of technology on the healthcare industry is accelerating and requires us to rethink our approach,” Walmsley said in the announcement. “As a member of the Executive Team, Karenann will have the scope to think radically about how we can exploit the latest opportunities and ultimately improve our business performance.”
According to GSK’s Terell “will be responsible for developing GSK’s digital, data and analytics strategy. She will work with a wide range of partners from inside and outside the healthcare sector to bring new technologies to GSK, enhancing areas such as clinical trials and drug development; improving how we interact with HCPs [healthcare providers], customers and consumers and making internal processes more efficient.”
GSK announces its latest earnings report on Wednesday. Terrell’s hiring was formally announced on Friday.
Terrell had left Walmart in March to become a consultant. She has a master’s in engineering from Purdue University.
According to Reuters, the hiring of Terrell reflects Walmsley’s decision “to apply digital platforms in everything from clinical trials to customer interactions.”
Walmsley also recently hired former AstraZeneca executive Luke Miels to join the management team. He starts in early September after GSK negotiated an agreement with its rival for the services of Miels who will lead pharmacy operations.
Terrell brings a wealth of experience to the job, having also worked for Baxter International and Daimler Chrysler as well as General Motors.
GSK operates a campus in RTP and a manufacturing plant in Zebulon, employing several thousand people across the Triangle.
