Albert Bourla

Albert Bourla (Greek: Άλμπερτ Μπουρλά; born (1961-10-21)October 21, 1961) is a Greek-American veterinarian and businessman known for serving as the chairman and chief executive officer of the pharmaceutical company Pfizer.

Bourla opposes government interference in pharmaceutical pricing, which he argues would hamper spending on development of new drugs.

[5] His parents, who were Sephardi Jews, were among the 2,000 of 50,000 Jews in Thessaloniki to survive the Holocaust; According to Bourla, his mother was allegedly minutes away from execution by firing squad when she was spared via a ransom paid to a Nazi Party official by her non-Jewish brother-in-law, while his father happened to be out of the Jewish ghetto when the residents were taken to the Auschwitz concentration camp and went into hiding, never to see his parents again.

[3][8] Bourla's doctoral thesis (1991) is titled "Effect of melatonin implants on sperm characteristics and on the freezability of Karagouniki ram semen".

[11] Bourla joined Pfizer in 1993, first as a doctor of veterinary medicine and technical director for the company's animal health division in Greece.

[8] From January 2014 to January 2016, Bourla was group president of Pfizer's global vaccines, oncology, and consumer healthcare business,[18][19][20][21] where he led Pfizer's work on cancer and heart drugs, among others, and helped launch Eliquis, an anticoagulant, and Ibrance, a breast cancer treatment drug.

[8] Bourla became Pfizer's chief operating officer (COO) on January 1, 2018, overseeing the company's drug development, manufacturing, sales, and strategy.

[12] He was promoted to chief executive officer in October 2018, effective January 1, 2019, succeeding Ian Read, his mentor.

[32] In 2020, Bourla pushed Pfizer employees for the fast development of a COVID-19 vaccine in partnership with German company BioNTech, making sure it is safe and effective.

The Genesis Prize is awarded annually to an individual for professional achievement, contributions to humanity and commitment to Jewish ethics.

[57] To benefit Greece, he has organized vaccine donations, medical aid for refugees, and more than $1 million in medicine to help uninsured patients.

[60] Bourla has made political contributions to both Republicans and Democrats, particularly those who oppose controls on prescription drug prices in the United States.

Bourla speaking at the Wharton School , 2024
Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog presents the Genesis Prize to Bourla, 2022