Pfizer Inc has appointed William Ringo as the company's new senior vice president of strategy and business development with responsibility for guiding Pfizer's overall strategic planning and business development activities, reporting to chairman and chief executive officer Jeff Kindler. He will join Pfizer's executive leadership team.

Ringo is a senior corporate bio-pharmaceutical executive with extensive experience in sales, marketing, business and strategic planning, product development and general management on a worldwide basis. He currently serves as an executive in residence at Warburg Pincus and Sofinnova ventures, as well as an active board member of Intermune, Inc.

From 2004 to 2006,. Ringo was chief executive officer of Abgenix, Inc, a biotechnology company focused on the development of novel therapies using monoclonal antibodies. During his tenure, Ringo spearheaded efforts to transform the organization into a more focused product company by strengthening the senior management team and enhancing the existing partnership with Amgen. That partnership ultimately resulted in the acquisition of Abgenix by Amgen in a $2.2 billion cash transaction, more than double the company's value when Ringo joined as CEO in the summer of 2004.

From 2001 to 2004, Ringo served on various boards and was involved with Intermune, where he was appointed interim chief executive officer to help restructure the company and recruit new operational leadership.

Ringo began his career at Eli Lilly & Company in 1973, where he served in various sales, marketing, strategy and general management roles culminating in his appointment as president of two of the four major business units for Lilly, including substantial exposure to its medical device and technology business, as well as pharmaceutical. He retired from Eli Lilly & Company in 2001.
"Bill is a highly regarded leader who distinguished himself through a long career as one of the most successful senior executives at Eli Lilly & Company," Kindler said. "Bill's broad range of experience in both the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors makes him uniquely qualified to guide our strategy and business development and to help drive the innovation agenda that is one of the keys to our future success".

"I am delighted and honoured at the opportunity to join Jeff and his leadership team as they continue to transform Pfizer to meet the challenges of the future," Ringo said. "I believe Pfizer has a productive future and I look forward to working with a diverse and talented group of professionals".