Prague, Czech Republic, September 2025 — Zentiva has announced the appointment of Chris Howarth as its new Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) and member of the Executive Committee. With a distinguished career of more than two decades in global HR leadership across pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, and corporate organizations, Chris brings deep expertise in people strategy, organizational transformation, and cultural excellence.
Chris joins Zentiva after a brief tenure at Selecta Group, where he served as Group Chief Human Resources Officer, leading HR transformation for the European market. Prior to this, he supported the Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation in Vietnam as Interim Human Resources Director, helping the grassroots charity strengthen HR policies, organizational design, and leadership development while furthering its mission to combat human trafficking and support vulnerable children.
Before these roles, Chris had an illustrious 23-year career with Novartis, holding several global leadership positions. Most recently, he served as Global Head, People & Organization (CPO/SVP Human Resources) for the International Division, where he was responsible for HR strategy across more than 100 countries, supporting over 45,000 employees and driving organizational transformation, DEI, talent, and leadership initiatives in preparation for multiple product launches. Earlier, as Global Head of HR for Novartis Pharmaceuticals, he managed HR activities for 30,000 employees worldwide, with significant focus on the US, China, and Europe’s largest markets.
Chris also held various senior roles at Novartis, including Global Head (ad interim) of the Commercial Execution & Strategy Consulting Unit, where he aligned business and people strategies to accelerate performance. His career at Novartis reflects consistent contributions to organizational transformation, leadership development, and building high-performance cultures at scale.
About Zentiva
Zentiva is a pan-European platform developing, manufacturing, and providing high-quality and affordable medicines to more than 100 million people in Europe. With four wholly owned manufacturing sites and a wide network of external manufacturing partners, Zentiva ensures supply security while focusing on key therapeutic areas such as cardiology, diabetes, oncology, respiratory, and CNS. The company is also expanding its portfolio in self-care solutions.
Privately owned and delivering sustainable double-digit growth, Zentiva has an ambitious five-year plan for further expansion, both organic and inorganic, across Europe. With nearly 5,000 employees united by the purpose of delivering health and well-being for all generations, Zentiva strives to be a great place to work where everyone feels valued and empowered.
Read Also : When HR “Produces Nothing”: A Response to Jennifer Sey’s Anti-HR Vision
The Fine Balance: Navigating Work, Life, and Mental Wellbeing
Mind the Leadership Gap – From Learning to Real-World Impact
How the Adecco Group is empowering its employees for the future of work
