Jannie Oosthuizen

Executive vice president and president, Oncology and MSD International   

Jannie Oosthuizen leads Merck’s global oncology business and holds P&L responsibility for U.S. Oncology and Merck’s 75-plus markets outside of the U.S., driving the company’s continued leadership in oncology and overseeing commercial execution at the market level across the full human health portfolio. He has extensive global marketing expertise and proven commercial results in oncology markets in the U.S. and around the world. Jannie most recently served as president, Merck Human Health U.S. where he oversaw P&L, strategy and commercialization for Merck’s broad portfolio in the U.S.  

Jannie joined the company in 2014 to lead the Human Health oncology business in Asia Pacific and Latin America, then led Merck’s business in Japan from 2016 to 2020, and then led Global Marketing for Oncology. In each of these roles, Jannie successfully created and implemented new strategies and innovative commercial models that delivered strong, leveraged growth and established Merck as a leading business in those markets and therapeutic areas. 

Jannie has deep experience in a broad range of global markets and therapeutic areas, and in building and leading high-performing teams. Prior to Merck, Jannie spent 21 years at Eli Lilly in a wide range of commercial and marketing roles with increasing responsibility. He began his career with Eli Lilly in 1993 in his home country of South Africa. Jannie is a pharmacist by training and graduated from North-West University in South Africa. He has lived and worked in six countries spanning five continents with his wife and three children.