Mike Varney

Roche acquired Genentech in 2009 for nearly US$47 billion. Although the deal sparked concerns that Genentech's free-wheeling science-based culture was at risk, Roche always said it wanted to maintain the biotech's independence. Richard Scheller, the former Chief Scientific Officer of the stand-alone Genentech and Head of Genentech Research and Early Development (gRED) under Roche, has recently retired, and this changing of the guard has stirred the old concerns. Now Mike Varney, former Head of Small Molecules at Genentech, is stepping up to take the reins. The commitment to Genentech's culture of innovation remains unwavering, he tells Asher Mullard.