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Biogen Inc.

Biotechnology and PharmaceuticalsFounded 1978
Reviewed by Swet Parvadiya
Company data updated: October 2026

Leadership History

Biogen: CEO History

6 leaders · 1981 to present

Who is the CEO of Biogen?

Christopher A. Viehbacher is the CEO of Biogen, in the role since 2022. The first chief executive was Walter Gilbert, from 1981.

Current CEO
Christopher A. Viehbacher (since 2022)
First CEO
Walter Gilbert (1981)
Leaders documented
6
Founded
1978
NameRoleFromToYears in role
Christopher A. ViehbacherPresident and Chief Executive Officer2022Present4
Michel VounatsosChief Executive Officer201720225
George ScangosChief Executive Officer201020166
James C. MullenChief Executive Officer2000201010
James L. VincentChief Executive Officer1985200015
Walter GilbertChief Executive Officer198119843
Who was CEO of Biogen before Christopher A. Viehbacher?
Michel Vounatsos was CEO of Biogen from 2017 to 2022, before Christopher A. Viehbacher took over in 2022.

Company Overview

Biogen is one of the oldest independent biotechnology companies, known for multiple sclerosis drugs (Avonex, Tysabri, Tecfidera, Vumerity), the first approved spinal muscular atrophy treatment (Spinraza) and the Alzheimer's antibodies Aduhelm and Leqembi. It trades on Nasdaq as BIIB, is an S&P 500 member and is headquartered at 225 Binney Street in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Since 2023 it has broadened from neurology into rare disease, immunology, nephrology and eye disease, mainly through acquisitions. The pioneering biotechnology firm was originally founded in Geneva, Switzerland by a group of elite, Nobel Prize-winning biologists, eventually relocating to Massachusetts to dominate the highly complex neurology market.

Christopher A. Viehbacher

President and Chief Executive Officer

2022 – Present

4 years (current)

Legacy

Christopher Viehbacher became Biogen's CEO on November 14, 2022, after the commercial failure of Aduhelm. He had been CEO of Sanofi from 2008 to 2014, where he bought Genzyme, and before that spent about two decades at GlaxoSmithKline; he later co-founded the investment firm Gurnet Point Capital. At Biogen he launched the Fit for Growth cost program in 2023, discontinued Aduhelm in 2024 and used acquisitions to diversify the company: Reata for $7.3 billion in 2023, HI-Bio for $1.15 billion upfront in 2024 and Apellis for about $5.6 billion in 2026. In Q2 2026 the growth portfolio he built out produced more revenue than the legacy MS drugs, and Biogen's market value was about $33 billion at the end of September 2026.

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Michel Vounatsos

Chief Executive Officer

2017 – 2022

5 years

Legacy

Michel Vounatsos, a former Merck executive, was CEO from January 2017 to November 2022. He oversaw the growth of Spinraza after its late-2016 approval and the 2019 Nightstar acquisition, and led the Aduhelm filing, its controversial June 2021 accelerated approval and the weak launch that followed once Medicare restricted coverage in 2022. Biogen announced in May 2022 that he would step down once a successor was found.

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George Scangos

Chief Executive Officer

2010 – 2016

6 years

Legacy

George Scangos, previously CEO of Exelixis, ran Biogen Idec from 2010 to 2016. His tenure covered the 2013 launch of Tecfidera, the 2013 purchase of full Tysabri rights from Elan for $3.25 billion, the 2015 return to the Biogen name and the plan to spin off the hemophilia business as Bioverativ. Revenue grew from $4.72 billion in 2010 to $11.45 billion in 2016.

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James C. Mullen

Chief Executive Officer

2000 – 2010

10 years

Legacy

James Mullen became Biogen's CEO in 2000 and led the 2003 merger with IDEC Pharmaceuticals that created Biogen Idec. He then ran the combined company through Tysabri's 2004 approval, its withdrawal in 2005 after cases of the brain infection PML and its return to market in 2006, before retiring in 2010.

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James L. Vincent

Chief Executive Officer

1985 – 2000

15 years

Legacy

James Vincent joined from Allied Corporation in 1985, when Biogen had accumulated about $100 million of losses, and restructured it around licensing royalties from interferon and hepatitis B technology. That income funded Avonex, approved for multiple sclerosis in 1996, which turned Biogen into a profitable product company. He handed the CEO role to James Mullen in 2000, remained chairman until 2002 and died in 2013.

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Walter Gilbert

Chief Executive Officer

1981 – 1984

3 years

Legacy

Nobel laureate Walter Gilbert left Harvard to run Biogen during its start-up years, building research operations in Geneva and Cambridge. The board asked him to step down as losses grew without a marketed product.

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Challenges & Strategic Context

Biogen's legacy MS products are shrinking (Tysabri faces biosimilars in the US and Europe, and Tecfidera lost US exclusivity in 2020), Leqembi uptake has been slow because treatment needs amyloid testing and MRI safety monitoring, and the Apellis purchase lifted total debt to about $8.1 billion at the end of June 2026. Several key pipeline readouts, including felzartamab in kidney disease and diranersen in Alzheimer's, are still one or more years away.

Biogen CEO and Leadership FAQ

Who is the current CEO of Biogen?

Christopher A. Viehbacher has been President and CEO since November 14, 2022. He was CEO of Sanofi from 2008 to 2014, spent about two decades at GlaxoSmithKline before that, and co-founded Gurnet Point Capital.

What has Viehbacher changed at Biogen?

He launched the Fit for Growth cost program, discontinued Aduhelm, and bought Reata ($7.3 billion), HI-Bio ($1.15 billion upfront) and Apellis (about $5.6 billion). In Q2 2026 Biogen's growth portfolio passed its legacy MS revenue.

Who was Michel Vounatsos?

Michel Vounatsos, a former Merck executive, was Biogen's CEO from January 2017 to November 2022. His tenure covered Spinraza's growth and the controversial 2021 approval and failed launch of Aduhelm.

Who was George Scangos?

George Scangos ran Biogen Idec from 2010 to 2016, when Tecfidera launched and revenue grew from $4.72 billion to $11.45 billion.

Who led Biogen before 2010?

James Mullen was CEO from 2000 to 2010 and led the 2003 IDEC merger. James L. Vincent was CEO from 1985 to 2000 and rescued the company financially. Co-founder Walter Gilbert was CEO from 1981 to 1984.

Who is Biogen's CFO?

Robin Kramer has been Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since February 2025. She joined Biogen in 2018 as Chief Accounting Officer and succeeded Michael McDonnell.

Who is the CEO of Biogen?

Christopher Viehbacher took over as CEO in 2022, tasked with executing a massive turnaround and deep cost-cutting after his predecessor, Michel Vounatsos, oversaw the disastrous, highly controversial launch of Aduhelm.

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Content is for informational purposes only. Not financial advice. Data sourced from SEC filings, annual reports, and public records. See our full disclaimer and methodology.