AstraZeneca says its China operations president Leon Wang is under investigation but has not clarified whether he is being detained or what the probe is about.
The Anglo-Swedish compan said the Chinese operations were currently “under the leadership of the general manager of AstraZeneca China”, without providing further details, reports Reuters.
The company has invested heavily in China, which is the second largest pharmaceuticals market in the world.
Wang, who grew up in China and has been with AstraZeneca for more than a decade, is a high-profile executive who has often been quoted by China’s business press and holds leadership positions in domestic business organisations.
In September, China detained a small number of AstraZeneca’s current and former employees for questioning. At the time, it was reported that five people were detained for questioning about potential illegal activities and that one of the investigations related to the firm’s collection of patient data.
It is unclear whether that is linked to Wang’s case.
Reuters article – AstraZeneca says its China operations president under investigation (Open access)
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