Vertex Appoints Kimberly A. White as Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX) today announced that Kimberly A. White has been appointed Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer. Ms. White will begin her role with Vertex on May 21, 2018, and will report to Michael J. Parini, Executive Vice President, Chief Legal and Administrative Officer. In her role, Ms. White will be responsible for leading the global corporate communications function, spanning product communications, media relations, digital and social communications, internal communications, corporate social responsibility and community affairs. Ms. White most recently served as Global Chair of the Health Sector at Edelman.

“We are thrilled to welcome Kym to the leadership team and to have her extensive experience across industry here at Vertex,” said Michael Parini. “Kym has the skill, management capabilities and industry acumen we need to evolve our communications efforts as Vertex continues to emerge as a leading global biotechnology company.”

“Vertex is on an incredible growth trajectory and is transforming the lives of patients with serious diseases,” said Ms. White. “The opportunity to tell that story and help advance understanding of the work of the dedicated scientists and researchers at Vertex compelled me to join them in this mission.”

KIMBERLY WHITE BIOGRAPHY:
Ms. White is a seasoned communications professional who has provided strategic leadership to companies in the global healthcare and pharmaceutical industries both in-house and as an agency advisor. Her expertise includes corporate reputation, issues and crisis management, brand marketing, media relations, corporate identity, internal communications and executive positioning.

She spent the last seven years at Edelman, where she headed the agency’s global healthcare sector and led a team of 600 people worldwide. During her time at Edelman, Ms. White developed and implemented U.S. and global communications programs for a wide variety of companies and organizations in the healthcare industry. Before Edelman, she was the Chief Communications Officer at Baxter International Inc., where she led Baxter’s global communications function. Ms. White also spent more than 15 years with Ogilvy PR Worldwide, including as the Co-Managing Director of the agency’s global healthcare practice.

Last year, Ms. White was recognized as one of the top 10 health influencers by PR Week. She also served as a 2017 Cannes Health Lions Pharma Juror.

About Vertex
Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation to create transformative medicines for people with serious and life-threatening diseases. In addition to clinical development programs in CF, Vertex has more than a dozen ongoing research programs focused on the underlying mechanisms of other serious diseases.