THE MIDDLE EAST’S

31. Gizem Akalin

Company: GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)
Designation: Vice President and General Manager - Gulf Region
Country: U.A.E.
Sector: Pharmaceuticals

Akalin joined GSK in 2015 and assumed her current role in October 2020. The company develops and delivers medicines, vaccines, and consumer healthcare products. Globally, in 2022, the company generated $35.5 billion in sales and spent $6.6 billion on its R&D expenditures. In 2022, Akalin led manufacturing agreements in the U.A.E. with Bioventure Healthcare and Globalpharma. In February 2023, the company signed an MoU with Emirates Health Services. Akalin previously held senior roles at Boehringer Ingelheim and Merck. She is also a member of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association Gulf.