Actelion announced that Jean-Pierre Garnier has become Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Swiss biopharmaceutical company. The Board of Directors elected him at their meeting today, 27 September 2011. In order to ensure a smooth transition, Robert Cawthorn, who has been Chairman since the inception of the company, will stay on the Board as planned until the 2012 Annual General Meeting.

Since joining the Board, Jean-Pierre has been very active in talking to Actelion's key people and understanding the company's opportunities and challenges. We are now entering a new planning cycle and he will be able to oversee this process and its implementation as Chairman from the start."

Dr. Jean-Pierre Garnier said: "I am extremely proud to have been nominated as Chairman of the Board of Actelion. I'm very impressed with the company's track record and its position today as Europe's largest biopharmaceutical company. Since joining the company this spring, I have become even more convinced of Actelion's capacity to translate superior drug discovery into meaningful therapeutic solutions and long-term business success. I look forward to guiding the company in the next phase of its growth together with my fellow Board members, management and all the Actelion employees."