Can we really expect innovation from an industry stuck on white male former sales reps? Perhaps.

It?s easy to muster a cynical response to Tuesday?s announcement that the world?s largest health products company, J&J, are replacing their current CEO William Weldon (athletic white male and former sales rep who rose through the commercial organization) with Alex Gorsky (athletic white male and former sales rep who rose through the commercial organization).  After all, he will be in good company, joining Novartis?s Joe Jimenez (athletic white male ? see here — with a background in marketing) and AZ?s David Brennan (athletic while male and former sales rep), among others.  Indeed, of the major pharma companies, only Lilly?s John Lechleiter is a scientist (no word on whether he?s athletic; I?m told by Stephen Colbert that he is white).

http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidshaywitz/2012/02/22/can-we-really-expect-innovation-from-an-industry-stuck-on-white-male-former-sales-reps-perhaps/