Gilead CEO O Day continues top-level revamp with two more exec exits

New Gilead CEO Daniel O Day has already replaced some key leaders at the company, but hes not stopping there with the executive overhaul. Wednesday, the Big Biotech said it would bid farewell to Gregg Alton, its chief patient officer, and Katie Watson, its EVP of human resources. In Watson’s place, Jyoti Mehra will step in to preside over Gilead’s worldwide HR function. Both departures end double-digit tenures at Gilead, where Alton and Watson have worked since 1999 and 2003, respectively. And the moves from O’Day underscore his intent to completely revamp Gilead’s leadership team. He’s already well on his way toward that goal, of course. Since he took the baton in early March, O’Day has been busy swapping out execs in key jobs and creating new positions for others. His early priorities included installing Johanna Mercier, a key commercial cog at Bristol-Myers Squibb, as Gilead’s commercial chief, displacing Laura Hamill after less than a year.