Francis Wan is a seasoned global healthcare executive whose career spans more than three decades of leadership across the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. With deep expertise in commercialization, corporate strategy, finance, and market expansion, he has played a pivotal role in building and scaling healthcare businesses across Asia Pacific’s most dynamic and complex markets. Known for his ability to navigate regulatory environments, launch transformative therapies, and lead high-performing teams, Francis has built a reputation as a strategic operator capable of delivering measurable growth while advancing patient access to innovative treatments. His career reflects a unique combination of financial discipline, commercial leadership, and global business insight.
Throughout his professional journey, Francis has distinguished himself as a leader capable of bridging strategy with execution. He began his career in finance and auditing, gaining early experience with KPMG Peat Marwick before joining Schering-Plough Corporation. These formative years helped establish the strong financial and operational foundation that would later support his transition into executive leadership roles within global pharmaceutical organizations. His background in accounting and corporate finance continues to shape his disciplined approach to governance, risk management, and strategic decision-making.
At Schering-Plough, Francis steadily advanced through roles of increasing responsibility across finance and commercial operations. Serving in positions including Finance Director and Retail & Commercial Director in China and Taiwan, he played a critical role in scaling the company’s regional presence and strengthening financial oversight during a period of rapid growth. His leadership helped guide the organization through a tenfold expansion in China’s sales performance compared to earlier years, positioning the company for long-term success in one of the world’s most competitive healthcare markets.
Francis later joined Merck & Co. (MSD) following the merger with Schering-Plough, where he assumed key leadership roles overseeing finance, commercial operations, and regional management across China. As Managing Director of Regional and Commercial Operations, he led four major sales regions representing approximately half of the company’s national growth. Under his leadership, these regions consistently outperformed market benchmarks, contributing to the company’s expansion from approximately $500 million in revenue to over $1 billion within a few years. His work included developing innovative commercial models, expanding distribution networks, and executing licensing agreements that strengthened the organization’s long-term growth strategy.
His leadership trajectory continued at Boehringer Ingelheim, where he served as Head of Consumer Healthcare for Greater China. In this role, Francis oversaw operations across China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan with full profit and loss accountability. Through strategic marketing initiatives, operational optimization, and the development of new partnerships, he delivered significant growth while strengthening the company’s competitive positioning in consumer healthcare. His leadership helped establish leading product brands in the Chinese market, demonstrating his ability to translate strategy into measurable commercial success.
Francis further expanded his strategic and transactional expertise when he joined Cardinal Health as Vice President of Corporate Development for Asia Pacific. In this capacity, he led major strategy and merger-and-acquisition initiatives throughout the region. Among his most notable achievements was his involvement in the successful $1.2 billion sale of Cardinal Health’s China business to Shanghai Pharmaceutical Group. This milestone transaction represented one of the largest healthcare deals in the region and underscored his ability to manage complex corporate negotiations while aligning strategic interests among multinational stakeholders.
In 2018, Francis joined Biogen as President of Asia Pacific excluding Japan, where he was responsible for building and scaling the company’s regional presence across multiple markets including China, Australia, South Korea, India, and Southeast Asia. Starting with a near-zero operational footprint, he established new regional infrastructures and secured regulatory approvals for innovative therapies within remarkably short timeframes. Under his leadership, Biogen successfully launched several rare disease treatments across Asia, including one of the most successful launches of the rare disease therapy SPINRAZA in China.
Francis’ achievements at Biogen also included groundbreaking market access agreements and accelerated reimbursement pathways for rare disease treatments. His leadership enabled regulatory submissions, approvals, and reimbursement inclusions within record timeframes across several countries. These accomplishments significantly expanded patient access to life-changing therapies while demonstrating his ability to align commercial success with meaningful healthcare outcomes.
Building on this experience, Francis later assumed the role of Senior Vice President and Global Head of the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Franchise at Biogen. In this position, he led strategic planning, lifecycle management, and pipeline positioning for therapies addressing one of the most pressing neurological challenges facing global healthcare systems. His leadership helped shape the strategic direction of a franchise focused on advancing treatments for neurodegenerative diseases while navigating complex regulatory and market dynamics.
Francis also served as Chief Executive Officer of Golden Age Health, where he led the development of a new healthcare venture focused on expanding innovative health solutions across Asia. As CEO, he worked closely with founders and investors to define corporate strategy, build product portfolios, and lead fundraising initiatives that would support the organization’s long-term growth and impact.
Currently, Francis serves as Vice President and General Manager for Asia Pacific at Medison Pharma, where he oversees operations and market expansion across a broad regional portfolio. In this role, he continues to leverage his decades of experience to accelerate access to innovative therapies while building strong regional partnerships and expanding the company’s presence in critical healthcare markets. His leadership reflects a commitment to advancing patient care while ensuring that organizations operate with strategic discipline, operational excellence, and sustainable growth.
Over the course of his career, Francis has developed deep expertise in pharmaceutical commercialization, global market expansion, corporate finance, and healthcare innovation. His ability to lead complex organizations across diverse cultures and regulatory systems has made him a trusted leader in the global biopharmaceutical sector. Beyond operational leadership, he is passionate about contributing to the strategic direction of organizations and sharing his experience to support companies seeking growth, transformation, and international expansion.
Francis holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Monmouth University, graduating summa cum laude. He is both a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Management Accountant (CMA), credentials that reflect his strong commitment to professional excellence and financial integrity. Fluent in Chinese and English, he brings a global perspective to leadership and governance, enabling him to build bridges across international markets and multicultural teams.
Today, Francis is actively exploring opportunities to serve on corporate boards where his extensive experience can support organizations seeking global expansion, strategic transformation, and operational excellence. With a career defined by innovation, disciplined leadership, and measurable results, he remains committed to helping organizations navigate complexity and achieve sustainable success in the evolving global healthcare landscape.
Character:
Francis Wan exemplifies integrity, accountability, and principled leadership throughout his career in global healthcare organizations. His decisions consistently reflect a commitment to ethical governance, transparency, and long-term value creation. Colleagues and stakeholders recognize him as a trusted leader who prioritizes responsible decision-making while maintaining a strong sense of purpose and professional discipline.
Knowledge:
With more than three decades of experience spanning finance, commercial operations, corporate development, and executive leadership, Francis brings a deep and comprehensive understanding of the global biopharmaceutical industry. His expertise extends across regulatory strategy, market access, product commercialization, and international business development. This breadth of knowledge enables him to evaluate complex business challenges and guide organizations toward well-informed strategic solutions.
Strategic:
Francis is widely recognized for his ability to transform strategic vision into practical execution that drives measurable growth. Throughout his career, he has led market expansions, major corporate transactions, and successful product launches across multiple international markets. His forward-thinking approach allows him to identify opportunities for innovation, operational efficiency, and sustainable competitive advantage.
Communication:
Effective communication has been a defining strength throughout Francis’s leadership journey. He excels at aligning cross-functional teams, building trust with stakeholders, and translating complex strategic priorities into actionable plans. His ability to communicate across cultures, industries, and organizational levels enables him to foster collaboration and inspire teams toward shared objectives.
