Jean-Pierre Garnier was previously Chief Executive Officer of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), having retired from this position in May 2008.

GSK is the second largest pharmaceutical company in the world with a market value in excess of $160 billion, 2006 sales of $46 billion, and 102,000 employees. Mr. Garnier became CEO of GSK at the end of 2000, following the merger of SmithKline Beecham and Glaxo Wellcome.  He was previously Chief Executive Officer of SmithKline Beecham, which he joined in 1990 as President of its pharmaceutical business.  He began his career at Schering-Plough.  Mr. Garnier serves as an independent director on the board of United Technologies Corporation.