GSK Announces Dr Vishal Sikka to Join the Board as Non-executive Director

GlaxoSmithKline plc (LSE/NYSE: GSK) has today announced that Dr Vishal Sikka, founder and CEO of Vianai Systems, will join the Board of the Company as a Non-Executive Director. He will join the Board with effect from the Haleon demerger.

Vishal has a distinguished background in technology and particularly in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning, which is central to GSK’s approach to R&D. He is the founder and CEO of Vianai Systems, a Silicon Valley-based company that provides advanced technological software and services in AI and Machine Learning to large enterprises around the world. Prior to founding Vianai Systems, Vishal served as CEO of Infosys and as a member of the Executive Board of SAP SE. Vishal has a PhD in Artificial Intelligence from Stanford University and has co-authored several research abstracts related to AI, technology and database management. He is also currently a Board member of Oracle Corporation and BMW.

Commenting on the appointment, Sir Jonathan Symonds, Chair of GSK said: “I am delighted to welcome Vishal to GSK. He is an experienced board director and an outstanding technologist who has been at the forefront of advanced technologies such as AI and Machine Learning for decades. Harnessing and applying these technologies to the discovery and development of new medicines and vaccines is central to our R&D approach, and Vishal’s insight and expertise will be invaluable as the company accelerates its efforts in this area.”

Vishal’s appointment further strengthens the Board’s expertise and builds on other recent Non-Executive Director appointments, including Dr Harry (Hal) C. Dietz, Professor of Genetic Medicine at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Charles (Charlie) Bancroft, former Executive Vice President at Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), and Dr Anne Beal, former instructor in paediatrics at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, and Chief Patient Officer at Sanofi.

A further non-executive appointment, with deep biopharma expertise, is expected in July 2022.