57 flavors of experience

The announcement that pharma industry newcomer Joe Jimenez will take over the CEO post at Novartis AG has sparked speculation that cost-cutting will follow. But a look at his track record in consumer goods reveals a history of brand and business building.

Industry and investors were caught by surprise last week when Novartis announced that the title of CEO, held by Daniel Vasella for 14 years, would go to Jimenez. The expectation had been that the post would one day go to COO Joerg Reinhardt, who has been at Novartis since 1982...