Novartis Announces The Appointment Of Mukul Mehta As New CFO As Harry Kirsch Retires After 22 Years Of Service

Novartis has announced the appointment of Mukul Mehta as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and member of the Executive Committee of Novartis (ECN), effective March 16, 2026. He will succeed Harry Kirsch, who will retire after serving as CFO since 2013 and spending 22 years with the company. Harry will remain in his current role until March 15, 2026, ensuring a smooth transition.

Mukul Mehta brings with him over 20 years of experience at Novartis, where he has held a range of key finance leadership roles across various countries and business units. He is currently serving as Head of Business Planning & Analysis (BPA), Digital Finance, and Tax, a position he will continue in until March 2025. Throughout his career at Novartis, Mukul has served as CFO International, ad-interim President International, CFO of the Pharmaceuticals business unit, CFO of Novartis Business Services, CFO for the Pharmaceuticals Europe business, and Country CFO in France, Poland, and Norway.

Harry Kirsch, CFO of Novartis, said in a statement, “It has been a tremendous privilege to serve Novartis for the past 22 years. I am proud of the transformation we’ve led - from streamlining the company from six divisions to three, to the successful spinoffs of Alcon and Sandoz, and the divestitures of our stakes in the consumer healthcare joint venture with GSK and in Roche. Together, we’ve built a truly focused medicines company. I leave with deep gratitude for the teams I’ve worked with and have full confidence in Mukul’s leadership.”

Mukul Mehta stated, “I am honored to take on the role of CFO at Novartis. I’ve had the privilege of growing with this company and working alongside exceptional colleagues. I look forward to continuing our journey as a focused medicines company and delivering sustainable value for patients and shareholders.”

Vas Narasimhan, CEO of Novartis, mentioned, “Harry’s impact on Novartis has been profound. He played a pivotal role in driving what has so far been one of our strongest periods of growth and strategic transformation. Under Harry’s leadership, the company’s financial performance has significantly improved as evidenced by our strong balance sheet, improved core operating income margin, and robust free cash flow. I thank him for his unwavering commitment and wish him the very best in his next chapter. I am also looking forward to welcoming Mukul to the ECN. His deep knowledge of our business, strong financial expertise, and collaborative style position him well to guide our financial strategy and finance organization through our next phase of growth.”

He is widely recognized for his operational expertise, commercial insight, and inclusive leadership approach. Mukul has consistently driven performance by leveraging data and fostering team engagement. He holds a degree in Management from the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies in India and an MBA from INSEAD in France.