Brian Foard

Brian Foard is executive vice president and president, Specialty, Pharma & Infectious Diseases for Merck. He oversees a portfolio of growth drivers across cardiometabolic and respiratory, infectious diseases, immunology, and ophthalmology.

Brian has more than 25 years of experience in the biopharma industry, with a proven track record of driving commercial success and delivering innovative medicines to patients. Prior to joining Merck, he spent nearly a decade at Sanofi consistently taking on broader leadership responsibilities. Most recently he served as executive vice president of Sanofi’s specialty care business unit, with global accountability for a diverse portfolio of products spanning immunology, rare diseases, oncology and neurology. Previously, Brian served as head of specialty care North America and U.S. country lead, overseeing one of Sanofi’s largest and most strategically important markets.

Earlier in his career, Brian spent almost two decades with Galderma, a Swiss pharmaceutical company that specializes in dermatological treatments. During his tenure at Galderma, he advanced through senior leadership roles across the U.S., France, Australia and Switzerland, playing a pivotal role in positioning the company as a global leader in dermatology.  

He is committed to strengthening the life sciences ecosystem and expanding access to careers in biotechnology, serving on the boards of Massachusetts Biotechnology Council and the Biomedical Science Careers Program. Brian received a degree in business from East Carolina University.