Franz Humer earmed his PhD in Law from University of Innsbruck and an MBA at INSEAD.
Following a career as Management Consultant in Zurich, Dr. Humer joined Schering Plough Inc in 1973, where he held several positions including General Manager for various Latin American and European countries. He joined Glaxo Holdings in 1981 and was appointed Managing Director of Glaxo Pharmaceuticals UK Ltd in 1987. In 1989 he was elected to the Board of Glaxo Holdings plc and in 1992 became Chief Operating Director for Glaxo’s worldwide (ex-US) operations. Dr. Humer joined Hoffmann-La Roche in 1995 as Head of its Pharmaceuticals Division and as Member of the Board. He was appointed Chief Operating Officer in 1996, Chief Executive Officer in 1998 and Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer in April 2001. From March 2008 to March 2014 he was Chairman of the Board of Directors of Roche Holding Ltd. In July 2006, he was awarded from the Republic of Austria “Großes goldenes Ehrenzeichen mit dem Stern für Verdienste um die Republik Österreich”. In the same year he became an Honorary Doctor of the University of Basel. He also holds an honorary doctorate from the School of Pharmacy, University of London. In 2013 he was awarded the Singapore Public Service Star (Distinguished Friends of Singapore). Franz Humer joined the Board of Diageo, the world’s leading spirits company, in 2005 and became its Chairman in 2008. He is also Chairman of the Board of Directors of the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children and the Humer Foundation. He is an Independent Director with Citigroup Inc., Chugai Pharmaceuticals Ltd (Japan), Bial Pharmaceuticals (Portugal), Kite Pharma (Biotech company in Los Angeles), WISeKey (Cyber Security Company, Switzerland) and a member of the International Advisory Board of Allianz SE.