Internationally acclaimed pharmaceutical business leader receives honorary doctorate

The North-West University (NWU) bestowed an honorary doctorate on internationally renowned pharmaceutical business leader and NWU alumnus Jannie Oosthuizen on Friday, 2 August.

Oosthuizen is recognised for his exceptional contributions to and significant standing in the international health sector, where he is considered a key role player.

“This is an unbelievable honour that the NWU and its Council have bestowed on me. The work I have done over the last three decades and the opportunity I had to make a difference in the lives of communities and patients around the world really came together in this recognition. I am forever grateful to the university,” he says.

Known for his insights into and knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry, he is frequently quoted in the media and invited to serve on panels as an expert speaker. His expertise spans the pharmaceutical product pipeline and targets, health economics, value evidence and support and innovative reward systems. He is also deeply committed to conserving the environment.

Oosthuizen has spearheaded various initiatives in support of young researchers, motivating them to discover the limitless possibilities of organic chemistry.

At the pinnacle of an exceptional career

His career in the industry spans three decades of excellence at various pharmaceutical companies. Since 2022, Oosthuizen has been the president of MSD Human Health in the United States, the largest business globally for MSD, a leading research-intensive biopharmaceutical company. He also represents global human health on the MSD executive team as an executive officer of the company. 

Oosthuizen is highly influential from a governance and policy perspective, spending significant time on price and reimbursement policy with governments to ensure environments that support and reward innovation.

His visionary leadership was instrumental in the successful launch of Keytruda, a cancer immunotherapy and MSD’s top-selling product (generating $25 billion in revenue in 2023 and reaching over two million people worldwide to date).

For the full article in English as well as more photos, follow the link here: https://news.nwu.ac.za/internationally-acclaimed-pharmaceutical-business-leader-receives-honorary-doctorate

Om die volledige artikel in Afrikaans te lees, volg die skakel hier: https://news.nwu.ac.za/af/internasionaal-befaamde-farmaseutiese-sakeleier-ontvang-eredoktorsgraad