LONDON, Jan 19 (Reuters) - GlaxoSmithKline said onThursday that Abbas Hussain, its global head of pharmaceuticals,is leaving the company and will be replaced by Luke Miels fromAstraZeneca.
Hussain had been seen as a potential contender to take overfrom Chief Executive Andrew Witty, who steps down at the end ofMarch, but the job went to GSK's consumer health division bossEmma Walmsley.
"Succession processes are challenging for everyone involvedand, unfortunately, it is rare that all of those involved staywith the company," Witty said. (Reporting by Ben Hirschler; Editing by Susan Fenton)