Incyte Appoints Bill Meury as President and CEO, Succeeding Hervé Hoppenot Amid Strategic Leadership Transition
In a pivotal leadership transition that marks a new chapter in its corporate journey, Incyte Corporation , a leading global biopharmaceutical company, announced today the appointment of Bill Meury as its new President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Effective immediately, Meury will also join Incyte’s Board of Directors, following a unanimous vote of approval by the Board.
This significant change in executive leadership comes as Hervé Hoppenot, who has served as Incyte’s CEO for the past 11 years, officially steps down from his position and begins his transition into retirement. However, to ensure continuity and a seamless handover, Hoppenot will remain actively engaged with the company in an advisory capacity to the CEO through the remainder of 2025. He will also retain his seat on the Board of Directors until year-end, enabling the company to benefit from his deep institutional knowledge and industry experience during this transition period.
Additionally, in conjunction with the leadership shift, Julian Baker, who has served as the company’s Lead Independent Director, has been elected Chairman of the Board of Directors, further reinforcing Incyte’s commitment to strong governance and long-term strategic stewardship.
Bill Meury: A Proven Biopharmaceutical Leader with Deep Operational Expertise
The selection of Bill Meury to lead Incyte reflects the Board’s confidence in his seasoned leadership, diverse biopharma experience, and proven ability to scale commercial and R&D-focused organizations. Meury brings with him a track record of transformational leadership, having held executive roles across several innovative biopharmaceutical companies.
Most recently, Meury served as Chief Executive Officer of Anthos Therapeutics, where he successfully steered the company through a phase of expansion and strategic realignment aimed at long-term value creation. Before that, he served as CEO of Karuna Therapeutics, where he oversaw the company’s evolution into a fully integrated research, development, and commercial enterprise. During his time at Karuna, Meury focused on operational excellence, strategic execution, and positioning the company as a leader in central nervous system (CNS) disorders.
Earlier in his career, Meury spent over two decades at Allergan, culminating in his role as Chief Commercial Officer. There, he managed a global pharmaceutical portfolio that included 50 marketed products, generated over $16 billion in annual revenue, and employed approximately 8,000 professionals. His broad operational scope at Allergan spanned multiple therapeutic areas, including oncology, neuroscience, aesthetics, ophthalmology, and gastroenterology, giving him a panoramic view of the industry and a strategic understanding of commercialization, lifecycle management, and cross-functional collaboration.
A Vision for Incyte’s Next Phase of Growth
Commenting on his appointment, Meury expressed both gratitude and ambition for the journey ahead:
“I am honored to join Incyte at this pivotal moment and thank Hervé for his support during this transition,” said Meury. “Incyte’s track record for discovering innovative treatments for complex problems in human health is outstanding. My priority is to build upon our exceptional R&D and commercial capabilities to accelerate new product flow, drive sustainable growth and create value for all stakeholders. I look forward to working with the Incyte team to continue to grow the company for enduring success.”
Incyte’s leadership sees Meury as the right person to carry the company forward, particularly as it deepens its foothold in oncology and immunology—two areas where it has built robust capabilities over the past decade.
“Bill is a decisive and collaborative leader who possesses the strategic planning and executional skills necessary to accelerate Incyte’s growth and maximize the tremendous opportunities we have in oncology and immunology,” said Julian Baker, the newly elected Chairman. “During our thoughtful succession process, Bill’s leadership experience stood out, including his ability to effectively translate scientific breakthroughs into business results.”
Baker continued to underscore Meury’s interpersonal strengths, describing him as “a great listener, a tireless learner, and a direct and open communicator.” He also praised Meury’s alignment with Incyte’s core values, which emphasize scientific rigor, innovation, and patient-centered impact.
“I believe that he embraces Incyte’s values of hard work, commitment to excellence in science and business, and dedication to bringing novel, innovative, and life-changing medicines to patients in need.”
Baker concluded his remarks by expressing enthusiasm about working closely with Meury in his new capacity as Board Chairman to shape the company’s future and drive long-term value for shareholders.
Celebrating a Decade of Impact: Hervé Hoppenot’s Legacy
The leadership transition also marks the culmination of a remarkable chapter under Hervé Hoppenot, whose tenure as CEO since 2014 has transformed Incyte from a single-product, U.S.-focused organization into a diversified, global biopharmaceutical powerhouse. When Hoppenot joined Incyte, the company was primarily known for Jakafi® (ruxolitinib), its first and only marketed product at the time. Under his leadership, Incyte expanded both its commercial portfolio and geographic presence, while fostering a research-driven culture centered on solving unmet medical needs.
Among Hoppenot’s most notable accomplishments:
- Launch of six novel medicines, broadening the company’s therapeutic impact.
- Two new indications added to Jakafi, further extending its clinical utility.
- Geographic expansion into Europe, Japan, and Canada, establishing Incyte as a global player.
- Revenue growth from $355 million in 2013 to $4.2 billion in 2024, reflecting consistent commercial execution and portfolio expansion.
Julian Baker acknowledged the outgoing CEO’s extraordinary influence on the company’s trajectory:
“On behalf of the entire Board of Directors, I want to thank Hervé for his unwavering service as Chairman and CEO of Incyte. It was at Hervé’s request last Fall that the Board engaged in a thorough succession planning process that led us to today’s transition. His leadership and vision have been invaluable over the past decade.”
Hoppenot, for his part, described his years at Incyte as deeply fulfilling, emphasizing the company’s commitment to innovation, collaboration, and its mission to address unmet needs in human health.
“It has been a privilege to lead Incyte over the past eleven years,” Hoppenot said. “Guided by our mission to Solve On. and relying on great science, together we have achieved remarkable success in our effort to address unmet medical needs. I am proud to retire at a time when Incyte has the strongest management team, internal R&D pipeline and commercial portfolio ever. With Bill’s leadership, I am confident that the Company will continue its legacy of delivering transformative solutions to patients for many years to come.”
Hoppenot’s enduring legacy will continue to shape Incyte’s strategic direction and cultural fabric, even as new leadership takes the reins. His remaining role as Board Member and Advisor through year-end ensures the company retains his expertise during this transitional period.
Incyte’s Continued Pursuit of Innovation and Global Impact
With this leadership transition, Incyte enters a new era—one that builds upon its solid foundation of scientific innovation, operational excellence, and patient-centric values. Bill Meury’s appointment signals the Board’s ambition to further elevate Incyte’s position as a leader in oncology and immunology, capitalize on emerging R&D opportunities, and maintain momentum in its global expansion efforts.
As the biopharmaceutical industry continues to evolve rapidly—driven by technological advancements, increasing therapeutic complexity, and shifting regulatory environments—Incyte’s leadership transition appears well-timed. With a clear mandate for growth, a strong pipeline of innovation, and a proven leader at the helm, the company is poised to navigate the future with confidence and clarity.
