Daniel Vasella, M.D., has served as Chief Executive Officer and executive member of the Board of Directors since the merger that created Novartis in 1996.

He was appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors in 1999. Dr. Vasella has led Novartis through dynamic growth to rank among the world's most successful healthcare companies with a business strategy centered on a focused diversification portfolio, strategically incorporating pharmaceuticals, vaccines, generics and consumer health. He has also implemented several pioneering initiatives to ensure access to medicines in the areas of malaria, cancer and leprosy, among others, dedicating 3% of net sales to these programs in 2009. Dr. Vasella is a member of the Board of Directors of PepsiCo Inc., United States and of Alcon Inc.,

Switzerland. He is also a member of the Global Health Program Advisory Panel of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, a foreign honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the International Business Leaders Advisory Council for the Mayor of Shanghai, China, and the International Board of Governors of the Peres Center for Peace in Israel. Dr. Vasella graduated with an M.D. from the University of Bern, Switzerland, in 1979 and was a practicing physician until he joined Sandoz Pharmaceuticals

Corporation in 1988, where he held the position of CEO before the merger. Dr. Vasella has been honored with several awards. He also holds the rank of Chevalier in the Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur (France). He was also awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Basel. In addition, a readership survey by the Financial Times selected Dr. Vasella as the most influential European businessman of the past quarter century.

During Dr. Vasella's tenure as Chairman and CEO, Novartis has been included on the Ethisphere Institute's list of the world's most ethical companies, Fortune magazine's list of the world's most admired companies, and the Barron's magazine list of the world's most respected companies. On January 26, 2010, the Company announced that the Board of Directors has accepted Dr. Daniel Vasella's proposal to complete the CEO succession process after serving 14 years as CEO and 11 years as Chairman and CEO, by appointing Joe Jimenez, formerly Head of our Pharmaceuticals Division, as our new CEO. Dr. Vasella is continuing in his role as Chairman of the Novartis AG Board of Directors concentrating on strategic priorities.

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