(Yicai) May 14 -- Shortly after British drugmaker GSK revealed a new general manager for China, Swiss rival Novartis appointed a new chief for its local business.

Leo Lee, the head of Novartis' business in Japan, will lead the Chinese arm in two weeks, Yicai learned from the Basel-based company today.

Some industry insiders said that it is a coincidence that Novartis and GSK will change the leaders of their China businesses so close to each other. They are promoting the previous bosses, the sources added.

Zhang Ying, the current president of Novartis China, will work as the chief commercial officer of Novartis’ international business department in Basel to lead the team of commercial listing strategy. Zhang entered Novartis in 2011. She became the president of the Chinese arm in October 2023 after executive roles in the local departments for pharmaceuticals and innovative medicines.

Under the leadership of Zhang, Novartis China logged a milestone of CNY1 billion (USD138.2 million) in revenue in the first three months of this year, marking a single-quarter record. Last year, annual revenue tallied USD3.3 billion, up 17 percent from the previous year.

London-based GSK announced recently that Sherman Yu, GM of GSK's business in Taiwan, will succeed Cecilia Qi as the new GM of GSK China. The handover will start on June 1 and Yu will assume the new role on July 1.

Qi will become vice president and head of vaccines at GSK's China and intercontinental region.

Editor: Emmi Laine