Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, April 2026 — Brecht VANNESTE has begun a new chapter with MSD as Managing Director of India. In this role, he is leading the Human Health business for MSD in India, marking an important international leadership move in his long-standing journey with the company.
Before taking on this role, Brecht VANNESTE served as Oncology Business Unit Lead at MSD China, where he led a key business vertical in one of the company’s major markets. Prior to that, he was Associate Vice President & Managing Director, MSD Belgium & Luxembourg, a role that reflected his growing leadership responsibility across European markets. Earlier, he also served as Executive Director – External Affairs MSD in Belgium, adding important experience in stakeholder engagement and corporate affairs.
His wider journey with MSD includes international and regional leadership roles such as Executive Director Alzheimer Disease EUCAN, EUCAN Franchise Executive Director Cardiovascular, and Regional Marketing Leader (Atherosclerosis) – Mid Europe Region. These assignments gave him strong exposure to therapeutic leadership, franchise management, regional strategy, and commercial execution across complex healthcare environments.
Earlier in his career, Brecht VANNESTE built a strong commercial foundation at MSD Belgium, where he held roles including Sales Director Primary Care, Business Unit Director, Business Unit Manager, Regional Sales Manager, and Product Manager. This steady progression highlights a career shaped by deep operational understanding, leadership growth, and a broad command of the pharmaceutical business across functions and geographies.
With experience spanning India, China, Belgium, Switzerland, and broader regional markets, Brecht VANNESTE brings to MSD India a rich combination of commercial leadership, therapeutic expertise, and global business perspective. His appointment comes at a time when leadership continuity and strong market understanding remain critical to advancing innovation in biopharma.
About MSD India
MSD India is part of a leading biopharmaceutical company focused on innovation to create medicines and vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases.
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