With immediate effect, Merck KGaA has appointed Maya Martinez-Davis (46) as global head of oncology for its biopharma business, succeeding Andrew Schiermeier. She will be based in Billerica, Massachusetts, USA, and report to Rehan Verjee, chief marketing and strategy officer of Merck’s Healthcare business.

The new appointee’s responsibilities will include defining integrated global oncology strategies and delivery of therapeutic launches, starting with Avelumab, an investigational anti-PD-L1 antibody initially discovered and developed by Merck and currently managed under a strategic alliance with Pfizer. 

Before joining Merck, Martinez-Davis was a senior executive with Pfizer for more than a decade and prior to that held senior-level and director-level positions with Aventis Pharma in oncology.