Sally Susman To Depart Pfizer After Nearly Two Decades

(MENAFN- PRovoke) NEW YORK - Sally Susman, Pfizer's executive VP and chief corporate affairs officer, will depart the pharmaceutical giant at the end of the year after 18 years with the company.

The move is part of a broader leadership realignment designed to streamline corporate affairs functions into individual business units as Pfizer focuses on efficiency and margin restoration.

“I'm writing with a personal update and to share a LinkedIn post from my longtime boss and dear friend Albert Bourla, Pfizer's Chairman and CEO,” Susman wrote in a LinkedIn post .

"I'm grateful for 18 remarkable years at Pfizer and for the chance to have impact, spread my wings and thrive. I've had the joy of working with some of the smartest, most inspiring people. I'll remain at the Company through the end of 2025 and am focused on ensuring a smooth transition,” she wrote.

Susman has been widely recognized as one of the architects of Pfizer's modern corporate affairs strategy. She led integrated communications, ESG, government and investor relations, and patient advocacy, many of which took center stage during the pandemic rollout of Pfizer's Covid vaccine.

During the pandemic, Susman became a central voice in Pfizer's messaging, steering the company through misinformation, political pressure, and logistical hurdles. She championed transparency, urging communications to be clear, honest, and empathetic when public trust was at its most fragile.

Bourla, who announced the move in a staff memo Tuesday, said Susman's departure is“another important step we are taking to prioritize focus, speed, and simplify our work processes.

“As we continue to deliver results, my dear friend and longtime colleague, Sally Susman , and I have decided to integrate the critical capabilities of our Corporate Affairs function into the Pfizer organizations where partnerships already exist. Sally will help ensure a smooth transition. I am grateful to have her continue to provide advice and perspectives on various topics,” he wrote on LinkedIn.

In his memo he wrote,“In her 18 years at Pfizer, Sally made profound contributions. As Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Executive Vice President, and Vice Chair of The Pfizer Foundation, she has led external communications, corporate responsibility, global policy, government relations, patient advocacy, corporate reputation, and investor relations. She navigated Pfizer's interests through five U.S. presidential administrations and led stakeholder engagement during the pandemic with the successful 'Science Will Win' campaign, which became a rallying cry for many. She rebranded Pfizer's visual identity and dedicated herself to public health. Her focus on the company's reputation helped Pfizer consistently rank highly on reputational lists, including being recently named a Most Trusted Healthcare Company on the Axios-Harris 100, which measures the reputations of major companies across key dimensions, including trust, culture, ethics, and vision.

"Under Sally's courageous leadership, The Pfizer Foundation addressed complex global health challenges and empowered Pfizer colleagues to make an impact where they live and work. She notably helped launch Accord for a Healthier World, expanding access to medicines and quality healthcare to close the health equity gap. Sally will remain on the board of The Pfizer Foundation,” he said. Susman added that going forward, she is“excited to pursue my personal passions.”

Susman said that moving forward she will be perusing her "personal passions." She is part of the inaugural cohort of The Aspen Institute's Act III Leadership and Legacy Laureates program that begins this fall. She also said she will continue to prioritize mentoring young and rising leaders along with her board work and writing her next book.

MENAFN08072025000219011063ID1109775978