MEDIA RESOURCES

Who: George Abercrombie, President and CEO of Hoffmann-La Roche Inc., will be in Dallas to address the business community’s responsibility in times of medical crisis. Having recently met with top health officials about the very real possibility of an avian flu outbreak in the United States, Abercrombie says Texas will be particularly vulnerable because of its large and diverse population, the vast agricultural areas, and the tropical climate that lends itself to the spread of viruses.

George B. Abercrombie joined Roche in January 2001 as president and chief executive officer.  He is responsible for leading the North American Pharmaceuticals Operations at Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. in Nutley, New Jersey, and the Canadian affiliate, Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. in Mississauga, Ontario.  He is also a member of the Roche Pharmaceutical Executive Committee (PEC), which is responsible for developing and implementing global strategy for the division.

Before coming to Roche, Mr. Abercrombie was senior vice president of U.S. commercial operations at Glaxo Wellcome, with responsibilities encompassing pharmaceutical sales and marketing, electronic commerce, the U.S. managed care system, disease management, business planning and development, and late-stage clinical drug studies.  He joined Glaxo as vice president and general manager of the Glaxo Pharmaceutical Division in 1993 following 10 years at Merck.

Abercrombie is currently a member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of the U.S. trade organization PhRMA (Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America), and the state HealthCare Institute of New Jersey.  He also chairs the Health Sector Advisory Council at the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University, and represents Roche on the Board of Directors of the American Swiss Foundation.

Mr. Abercrombie received a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  He later earned an MBA from Harvard University.

What: The Bank of Texas Business Leaders Spotlight Series presents corporate leaders from Fortune 1000 companies to the Dallas community throughout the year at the Cox School of Business. All programs are free and open to the public.

When:  Wednesday, April 11, 2007, 5:00 – 5:30 p.m. Reception; 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Presentation and Q&A 

Where: James M. Collins Executive Education Center, SMU

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