Gilead’s Longtime COO To Retire, Effectively Early 2018

FOSTER CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) today announced that Kevin Young CBE, Chief Operating Officer, plans to retire, effective early 2018. Mr. Young will remain with Gilead through the first quarter of next year and in an advisory capacity thereafter.

Mr. Young joined Gilead in 2004 to lead the company’s worldwide commercial operations. He oversaw the introduction of multiple new products, including the first single tablet regimens for HIV and the first oral direct acting antiviral regimens for chronic hepatitis C. In 2014, Mr. Young retired from his full-time role and served as a senior advisor to Gilead until 2016, when he returned to assume the role of Chief Operating Officer. Prior to Gilead, he spent more than 20 years in the biopharmaceutical industry, first with ICI Pharmaceuticals and subsequently with Amgen. Mr. Young has undergraduate and graduate degrees in Sports Science and Exercise Physiology from Liverpool and Nottingham, England. In 2011, he was appointed a Commander of The British Empire, one of Great Britain’s highest civilian honors, in recognition of his “services to the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries.”

“Since Kevin joined Gilead in 2004, he has worked tirelessly to build Gilead’s commercial success across numerous therapeutic areas and geographies,” said John Martin, PhD, Executive Chairman. “Together with the Board of Directors, I am grateful that he came out of semi-retirement in May 2016 to strengthen Gilead and help establish the strategy and execute on plans for our next phase of growth in cell therapy.”

“Kevin has had an impact on Gilead – and by extension on the field of medicine and the lives of patients – that is seldom seen,” said John Milligan, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Those who have had the opportunity to work alongside Kevin know that he possesses both a deep commitment to his work and unparalleled leadership abilities. I am delighted that he will be helping us manage through a period of change over the next several months and I am deeply grateful to Kevin for his contributions to Gilead and to the lives of millions of people around the world.”

About Gilead Sciences

Gilead Sciences is a biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes innovative therapeutics in areas of unmet medical need. The company’s mission is to advance the care of patients suffering from life-threatening diseases. Gilead has operations in more than 30 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, California.

For nearly 30 years, Gilead has been a leading innovator in the field of HIV, driving advances in treatment, prevention, testing and linkage to care, and cure research. Today, it’s estimated that more than 10 million people living with HIV globally receive antiretroviral therapy provided by Gilead or one of the company’s manufacturing partners.

Forward-Looking Statement

This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors. These risks, uncertainties and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those referred to in the forward-looking statements. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These and other risks are described in detail in Gilead’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2017, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to Gilead, and Gilead assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements.

For more information on Gilead Sciences, please visit the company’s website at www.gilead.com, follow Gilead on Twitter (@GileadSciences) or call Gilead Public Affairs at 1-800-GILEAD-5 or 1-650-574-3000.