(Adding detail throughout)
By Ludwig Burger
FRANKFURT, March 24 (Reuters) - GlaxoSmithKline has
dismissed Moncef Slaoui, former U.S. government vaccine chief,
as chairman of a company controlled by the British drugmaker
after an internal investigation found he had sexually harassed a
GSK employee several years ago.
GSK said the termination of Slaoui's contract at Galvani
Bioelectronics was with immediate effect. Slaoui, the former
chief adviser to the U.S. COVID-19 vaccine development programme
known as Operation Warp Speed, was not immediately reachable for
comment by telephone and LinkedIn account.
GSK said an investigation into Slaoui's conduct, performed
on its behalf by an independent law firm, had substantiated
allegations of harassment and inappropriate contact, adding that
the inquiry was ongoing.
The termination of Slaoui’s contract follows receipt of a
letter containing the allegations of inappropriate conduct
towards the employee of GSK, the company said in a statement.
GSK said the allegations stemmed from when Slaoui was an
employee of GSK.
The company's London-listed shares were down 1% in afternoon
trade.
In a letter to staff and reviewed by Reuters, GSK Chief
Executive Emma Walmsley said the company has been dealing with
the allegations since February.
"Dr. Slaoui’s behaviours represent an abuse of his
leadership position and violate our company policies, our values
and our commitment to Trust – a commitment I know is shared by
all of you," she said.
A GSK spokesman said that U.S. law firm Morgan Lewis had
carried out the investigation, which was led by partner Grace
Speights, who specialises in labour law and issues of racial
equality and social justice.
Galvani is a bioelectronic medicines company set up in 2016
by GSK and Verily, the life sciences unit of Google parent
Alphabet.
Prior to his role at Galvani, Slaoui spent nearly 30 years
at GSK and held various leadership roles including head of
pharmaceutical R&D and chairman of its vaccines division. He
left the GSK board in 2017.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump appointed Slaoui to lead
his administration's effort to produce and distribute COVID-19
vaccines last year. He resigned from the post in January ahead
of the incoming administration of President Joe Biden.
Executive behaviour and treatment of employees have been
under scrutiny over the past few years as the #MeToo social
media movement prompted a string of high-profile boardroom
departures.
Christopher Corsico, senior vice president of development at
GSK and a board member at Galvani, has been appointed as the new
chair, GSK said. Amy Altshul, senior vice president Legal, R&D
and global commercial franchises at GSK, has also been appointed
to the board, it said.
(Reporting by Ludwig Burger
Additional reporting by Mike Erman and Manas Mishra
Editing by Louise Heavens, Josephine Mason and David Goodman
)