Global pharmaceuticals company, GSK, has appointed Roanne Parry as its chief people officer (CPO) bringing back a long-time company leader to head its global people agenda from London, UK. The appointment marks a return to GSK for Parry, who spent more than two decades with the company across a range of HR leadership roles before moving to CSL.
Her latest move comes as global healthcare and pharmaceutical companies continue sharpening focus on workforce transformation, leadership capability and people-led business strategies.
Before taking up the new role, Parry served as chief human resources officer, CSL for over two years. During her tenure, she led the company’s global HR function and people priorities across a rapidly- evolving healthcare landscape.
Parry’s professional journey, however, is deeply linked with GSK. Across a career spanning more than 22 years at the pharmaceutical major, she held several senior HR positions across geographies and business verticals.
Most recently, at GSK, she served as senior vice president-HR for research and development. In this role, she led people strategy for the company’s R&D organisation. Earlier, she worked as SVP HR for global pharma commercial and vice president HR for emerging markets while based in Singapore.
Her earlier assignments also included leading HR for pharma Europe, Central and Eastern Europe, consumer healthcare and UK pharma operations. Over the years, she gained extensive experience across leadership development, organisation design and business transformation initiatives.
Before joining GSK in 2001, Parry worked with Fedsure Holdings in South Africa and later in London, holding HR leadership roles across the organisation.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Counselling Psychology from the University of South Africa.
