Daniel Vasella

Daniel Vasella, a physician who had led Sandoz Pharma, became the first CEO of Novartis in 1996 and served until 2010; he was also chairman from 1999 to 2013. He oversaw the integration of Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz, the launch of Gleevec, and the creation of the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Novartis was formed in December 1996 when Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz merged in a deal valued at roughly $27 billion, then among the largest corporate mergers on record. Its roots go back to Geigy (1758), Ciba (1859) and Sandoz (1886), all Basel dye and chemical firms that moved into pharmaceuticals in the early 20th century. Ciba and Geigy combined in 1970. The name Novartis comes from the Latin "novae artes," or new skills. Vasella led the combined company as CEO for its first 14 years.