Basel, 17 February 2026 - Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) today announced the appointment of Mark Dawson, M.D., Ph.D., as the new Head of Roche Pharma Research and Early Development (pRED), effective 1 May 2026. Based in Basel, he will also become a member of the Enlarged Corporate Executive Committee.
Roche CEO Thomas Schinecker commented:
"Mark Dawson is a distinguished physician-scientist with a profound dedication to scientific excellence and patient care. His collaborative spirit and thoughtful leadership make him the ideal choice to lead pRED, and I am delighted to welcome him to our team."
Mark Dawson joins Roche from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, where he serves as Associate Director of Research. A leading expert in cancer biology, his work on chromatin regulation and epigenetics has been instrumental in defining the molecular mechanisms that drive cancer initiation and progression.
In addition to his clinical and research leadership, he holds a professorial appointment at the University of Melbourne and is an elected member of the Australian Academy of Science, the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences, and the European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO).
Mark earned his medical degree from the University of Melbourne in 1999, followed by specialist training in haematology and a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge. His career is marked by prestigious international honors, including:
- The Prime Minister's Prize for Science (Life Scientist of the Year, 2020)
- The Paul Marks Prize for Cancer Research
- The William Dameshek Prize (American Society of Hematology)
- Howard Hughes International Research Scholar
His extensive background as a clinician-researcher and his history of academic excellence position him to drive the next generation of innovative therapies at Roche pRED.
About Roche
Founded in 1896 in Basel, Switzerland, as one of the first industrial manufacturers of branded medicines, Roche has grown into the world's largest biotechnology company and the global leader in in-vitro diagnostics. The company pursues scientific excellence to discover and develop medicines and diagnostics for improving and saving the lives of people around the world. We are a pioneer in personalised healthcare and want to further transform how healthcare is delivered to have an even greater impact. To provide the best care for each person we partner with many stakeholders and combine our strengths in Diagnostics and Pharma with data insights from the clinical practice.
For over 125 years, sustainability has been an integral part of Roche's business. As a science-driven company, our greatest contribution to society is developing innovative medicines and diagnostics that help people live healthier lives. Roche is committed to the Science Based Targets initiative and the Sustainable Markets Initiative to achieve net zero by 2045.
Genentech, in the United States, is a wholly owned member of the Roche Group. Roche is the majority shareholder in Chugai Pharmaceutical, Japan.
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- Media Release Changes to Enlarged CEC pRED English
