Mike Nally to Leave Merck; Frank Clyburn to Lead All Merck Human Health

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March 17, 2021 6:45 am ET

KENILWORTH, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced that Michael T. Nally, chief marketing officer, Human Health, will leave the company at the end of March, and Frank Clyburn, chief commercial officer, Human Health, will become president, Human Health and lead all Human Health commercial and marketing for the company. Nally is leaving Merck for a leadership opportunity with another company.

“As our chief marketing officer, Mike has charted ambitious goals for our human health franchises, and has been instrumental in shaping our strategy and ensuring that Merck is well positioned for a successful future,” said Kenneth C. Frazier, chairman and chief executive officer, Merck. “Mike’s unwavering commitment to Merck’s core values coupled with his inclination to seek new and better ways to meet the needs of today’s patients as well as those we hope to serve in the years ahead have left an enduring mark on Merck, and he will be missed.”

Effective immediately, Clyburn will become president, Human Health and will lead Human Health marketing and commercial operations with responsibility for the Human Health P&L globally, reporting to Frazier. Starting April 1, 2021, Clyburn will report to Robert M. Davis, current executive vice president, global services and chief financial officer; as previously announced (link), Davis will become president of Merck, effective April 1, 2021, at which time the company’s operating divisions – Human Health, Animal Health, Manufacturing, and Merck Research Laboratories – will begin reporting to him. Davis will become chief executive officer on July 1, 2021.

“I have tremendous respect for Frank’s strategic and operational excellence, and believe he is the perfect person to lead our ongoing success in Human Health,” Davis said. “Frank’s leadership in rapidly expanding our oncology footprint and accelerating the growth of that business is unparalleled in our industry, exceeded only by his relentless dedication to helping patients. I look forward to continuing to work with him as we advance Merck’s mission to save and improve lives.”

Clyburn became chief commercial officer for Human Health in January 2019. Prior to this role, Clyburn was the president of Merck’s global oncology business. Clyburn joined Merck in 2008 and has had responsibility for numerous global pharmaceutical franchises, including diabetes, cardiovascular and women’s health, as well as leadership of marketing and sales teams.

Michael Nally has served as chief marketing officer for Human Health since January 2019, following three years leading Merck’s global vaccines business. Nally has been at Merck since 2003 and served in a number of roles with increasing responsibilities including the managing director of the company’s U.K., Ireland and Sweden markets as well a variety of roles in commercial operations, business development and investor relations.

About Merck

For 130 years, Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases in pursuit of our mission to save and improve lives. We demonstrate our commitment to patients and population health by increasing access to health care through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. Today, Merck continues to be at the forefront of research to prevent and treat diseases that threaten people and animals – including cancer, infectious diseases such as HIV and Ebola, and emerging animal diseases – as we aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world. For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA

This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (the “company”) includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of the global outbreak of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19); the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the company’s ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the company’s patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.

The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the company’s 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC’s Internet site (www.sec.gov).