BMS Names EVP, CSO

Dr. Thomas J. Lynch, Jr., has been appointed executive vice president and chief scientific officer, Bristol-Myers Squibb. He succeeds Dr. Francis Cuss, who will retire from the company. Dr. Cuss will serve as an advisor for the next three months during the transition. Dr. Lynch will step down from BMS’ board of directors.
 
Dr. Lynch has more than 30 years of medical, management and leadership experience, including more than 23 years at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). He served as chairman and chief executive officer of Massachusetts General Physicians Organization and as a member of the MGH Board from 2015 to 2017. Previously, he served as the director of Yale Cancer Center and Professor of Internal Medicine at the Yale School of Medicine from 2009 to 2015. While at MGH, Dr. Lynch was part of the team credited with the discovery that certain genetic mutations in lung cancer patients caused therapies to work for some individuals and not for others.
 
"We are pleased to welcome Tom to the leadership team at Bristol-Myers Squibb," said Giovanni Caforio, M.D., chief executive officer and chairman designate of BMS. "Tom is an internationally recognized oncologist known for his leadership in the treatment of lung cancer and has made significant contributions to the field of targeted therapies throughout his career. Tom brings deep industry knowledge and a sophisticated understanding of BMS’ R&D program. We are confident Tom is the right person to lead our dynamic R&D organization as we focus on accelerating the development of our Immuno-Oncology medicines and fully realizing the extraordinary potential of our diverse, innovative pipeline."
 
Dr. Caforio added, "On behalf of the Board and leadership team, I want to thank Francis for his hard work and dedication to Bristol-Myers Squibb for more than 13 years. Our portfolio and pipeline have been significantly strengthened during his time leading Discovery and R&D, and we wish him the best in his retirement."