Brent Saunders
Career Timeline

Brent is widely recognized in the health care industry as a proven leader best known for building brands and identifying growth opportunities. Throughout his more than 25 years of experience, he has delivered numerous value-enhancing initiatives, with deal-volume exceeding $300 billion.

Brent Saunders sitting outside wearing sunglasses

PricewaterhouseCoopers

  • 1999-2003
  • Partner, Pharmaceutical and Health Care Practice
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Schering-Plough

  • 2003-2005
  • Senior Vice President, Global Compliance and Business Practices
  • 2005-2009
  • President, Global Consumer Health Care
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Bausch + Lomb

  • 2010-2013
  • President and Chief Executive Officer
  • 2010-2013
  • Member, Board of Directors
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Forest Laboratories

  • 2013-2014
  • President and Chief Executive Officer
  • 2011-2013
  • Director
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Actavis

  • 2014-2015
  • President and Chief Executive Officer
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Allergan

  • 2015-2020
  • President and Chief Executive Officer
  • 2016-2020
  • Chairman, Board of Directors
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Cisco Systems

  • 2017-2023
  • Member, Board of Directors
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BridgeBio Pharma

  • 2020-2023
  • Independent Director
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The Beauty Health Company

  • 2021-present
  • Chairman, Board of Directors
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ARS Pharmaceuticals

  • 2021-present
  • Member, Board of Directors
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Cambrian BioPharma

  • 2021-present
  • Director
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Mount Sinai Medical Center

  • 2022-present
  • Member, Executive Board of Trustees and Advisory Board of Trustees
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Bausch + Lomb

  • 2023-present
  • Chief Executive Officer
  • 2023-present
  • Chairman, Board of Directors
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Roam

  • 2023-present
  • Chair, Board of Directors
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Arena AI

  • 2024-present
  • Director
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Nextech

  • 2024-present
  • Board Advisor
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PricewaterhouseCoopers

  • 1999-2003
  • Partner, Pharmaceutical and Health Care Practice

In 1999, Brent joined PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), an international professional services organization focused on providing premium tax, advisory and assurance services. Brent joined in a consulting role before becoming partner in 2000. During his time at PwC, Brent also served as the head of the compliance business advisory group. Brent left the company in 2003 to join Schering-Plough.

Schering-Plough

  • 2003-2005
  • Senior Vice President, Global Compliance and Business Practices
  • 2005-2009
  • President, Global Consumer Health Care

In 2003, Brent began working as senior vice president of global compliance and business practices at Schering-Plough. Prior to its acquisition by Merck, Schering-Plough was a pharmaceutical company known for brands such as Claritin, Clarinex and Dr. Scholl’s. He later became president of global consumer health care, marking a significant turning point in his career. 

Brent successfully managed the company’s integration with Organon BioSciences and later led the merger of Schering-Plough and Merck.

Schering-Plough Acquires Organon BioSciences in 2007

As head of integration, Brent led Schering-Plough’s $16 billion acquisition of Organon BioSciences in 2007, which strengthened Schering-Plough’s portfolio by adding animal health (Intervet) and human prescription divisions. The expansion also contributed to Schering-Plough’s growth in the prescription pharmaceutical industry, focused on the central nervous system and women’s health. The deal was a major turning point for Schering-Plough after a series of compliance challenges, which Brent worked to resolve.

Schering-Plough Merges with Merck in 2009

Having successfully led the prior acquisition of Organon BioSciences, Brent was chosen to lead integration planning for Schering-Plough’s $41.1 billion merger with Merck in 2009. The deal was structured as a reverse merger, in which Schering-Plough became the surviving corporation and later took the Merck name. With a combined revenue of $47 billion in the year leading up to the merger, the new company was better positioned for sustainable growth and innovation. 

As a result, the company increased its global reach and diversified its portfolio in various categories, such as immunology, women’s health, neuroscience, oncology and infectious disease. The merger also saved over $3 billion annually.

Bausch + Lomb

  • 2010-2013
  • President and Chief Executive Officer
  • 2010-2013
  • Member, Board of Directors

Brent first joined eye health company Bausch + Lomb in 2010 as president, CEO and member of the board of directors. Brent’s vision for Bausch + Lomb included process refinement to increase efficiency and a deeper focus on 13,000 employees around the world. 

Under Brent’s leadership, Bausch + Lomb successfully acquired ISTA Pharmaceuticals, which significantly enhanced the company’s pharmaceutical portfolio. The company also launched or received FDA clearance on several products, including LOTEMAX®.

In 2013, Brent oversaw Bausch + Lomb’s acquisition by Valeant Pharmaceuticals and stepped into an advisory role to support the transition.

Forest Laboratories

  • 2013-2014
  • President and Chief Executive Officer
  • 2011-2013
  • Director

Brent was appointed a director of Forest Laboratories in 2011 and became president and chief executive officer in 2013. In a short span of six months, Brent shifted the company’s earnings and sales, and its share price increased by more than 70%. 

During Brent’s time at Forest Laboratories, the company completed the $2.9 billion acquisition of privately held specialty pharmaceutical company Aptalis. The acquisition bolstered Forest Laboratories’ gastrointestinal division in the U.S. and Canada. The deal also strengthened the company’s cystic fibrosis business overseas and introduced them as a player in the U.S. market for cystic fibrosis.

Actavis Acquires Forest Laboratories in 2014

Brent’s most notable accomplishment at Forest Laboratories was advising on the company’s acquisition by Actavis. The $25 billion deal created one of the largest specialty pharmaceutical companies in the world. Brent served in his role with Forest Laboratories until the acquisition.

Actavis

  • 2014-2015
  • President and Chief Executive Officer

Brent served as president and chief executive officer of Actavis from 2014 to 2015. Actavis was an international pharmaceutical company specializing in creating, producing and distributing branded and generic drugs. Historically, the company was known for its work in the generic drug sector and its interest in expanding to include more name-brand drugs, spurred by the 2014 acquisition of Forest Laboratories.  

Actavis Acquires Allergan in 2015

Actavis acquired Allergan and announced its rebrand under the Allergan name in 2015. The $66 billion deal allowed the company to expand across the Asian and Latin American markets and enhance its offerings in dermatology and aesthetics, neurology, ophthalmology and urology. In addition, the acquisition enabled the company to expand its annual savings of over $1 billion to invest in new research and development. Under Brent, Allergan became a leader in growth pharma, a phrase coined during the Allergan deal to represent the vision and direction of the newly merged company.

At the time of the merger, Brent was committed to maintaining momentum in research and development with an estimated $1.7 billion investment in 2015, which aligned with the company’s increased focus on innovation.

Allergan

  • 2015-2020
  • President and Chief Executive Officer
  • 2016-2020
  • Chairman, Board of Directors

Initially announced in 2014, Actavis’ acquisition of Allergan was completed in 2015. Having served as CEO and president of Actavis during acquisition planning, Brent was named president and CEO of the newly combined Allergan. The acquisition had a significant impact, as the company became one of the world’s top 10 pharmaceutical companies by revenue.

Under Brent’s leadership, Allergan completed several key acquisitions that broadened its portfolio, including Kythera Biopharmaceuticals, LifeCell and ZELTIQ® Aesthetics. 

During his tenure, Brent helped transform Allergan into a fast-growing global branded pharmaceutical company. Brent also saw opportunities to ramp up research and development. He helped the company adopt its “open science” strategy, which acknowledged the importance of collaborating with both internal and external sources to be more innovative. The approach contributed to the company’s ability to not only make more strategic investments in innovation but also build a stronger pipeline of experimental medicines. 

AbbVie Acquires Allergan in 2020

Brent helped oversee the integration of AbbVie and Allergan, completed in May 2020. AbbVie’s acquisition of Allergan led to a stronger and more diversified global biopharmaceutical company. AbbVie was able to expand its portfolio to include Allergan products, which focused on aesthetics and eye care, among other therapeutic areas. Notable products included Botox®, Juvéderm® and Restasis®. In total, the integration brought together 30 brands. After the acquisition, Brent chose to pursue other opportunities in the health care sector.

Cisco Systems

  • 2017-2023
  • Member, Board of Directors

Brent joined Cisco Systems’ board of directors in 2017 while serving as president and CEO of Allergan. He remained on the board for six years, until he rejoined Bausch + Lomb as CEO. Brent’s belief in innovation as the most proven formula for expanding business made him a key collaborator to Cisco leadership as they sought to advance technological innovation.

BridgeBio Pharma

  • 2020-present
  • Independent Director

In June 2020, Brent took on the role of independent director at BridgeBio Pharma, a biotechnology company that helps patients impacted by genetic disease. Bringing his decades of experience working with pharmaceutical companies, Brent gives strategic guidance in several areas, including expansion into new products and treatment areas. Since Brent joined, BridgeBio has reached major milestones, including a merger with Eidos Therapeutics in January 2021 and key strategic collaborations and licensing deals.

The Beauty Health Company

  • 2021-present
  • Chairman, Board of Directors

Brent joined The Beauty Health Company (BeautyHealth) board in 2021. His appointment as chairman coincided with the merger of The HydraFacial® Company and Vesper Healthcare — both of which Brent had co-founded and chaired — to form The Beauty Health Company. In the same year, Brent also took on CEO responsibilities until a new CEO was announced in February 2022. After his return to Bausch + Lomb, Brent remained committed to working with the company, providing strategic guidance as it continues its global expansion.

ARS Pharmaceuticals

  • 2021-present
  • Member, Board of Directors

Brent joined ARS Pharmaceuticals’ board of directors in May 2021. Given his vast experience in the development and commercialization of pharmaceutical products, ARS Pharmaceutical leadership saw Brent as a key resource in helping the company execute the next phase of its transformational product, Neffy™. Upon his appointment, Brent shared his optimism for the new venture, stating, “The combination of the pioneering science, a near-term commercial product with a compelling value proposition, and an outstanding team of leaders and advisors sets up this company for a very strong future.” Neffy, a needle-free, pocket-sized epinephrine device, became available in the U.S. in September 2024.

Cambrian BioPharma

  • 2021-present
  • Director

Biotechnology company Cambrian BioPharma announced the appointment of Brent to its board of directors in October 2021. Brent’s goal to make health care more accessible aligns with Cambrian BioPharma’s mission to improve quality of life for people all over the world. Since Brent joined the board, Cambrian BioPharma has reached several key achievements, particularly the addition of pipeline companies. In February 2022, the company announced a major licensing agreement with Novartis, and, in 2023, Fast Company recognized it as one of the “Next Big Things in Tech.”

Mount Sinai Medical Center

  • 2022-present
  • Member, Executive Board of Trustees and Advisory Board of Trustees

At Mount Sinai Medical Center, Brent is a member of both the advisory board of trustees and the executive board of trustees. Brent was moved to support the hospital because he believed in Mount Sinai’s mission and was also inspired by his father’s work as a urologist. He and his wife, Daniela, contributed to the Columbia University Division of Urology at Mount Sinai to help maintain the division’s high-quality service for the community and the greater South Florida region. Both Brent and Daniela are actively involved with Mount Sinai, including the Mount Sinai Medical Center Foundation. Together, they share aspirations to do their part to increase access to quality health care services.

Bausch + Lomb

  • 2023-present
  • Chief Executive Officer
  • 2023-present
  • Chairman, Board of Directors

Brent’s appointment as Bausch + Lomb’s chief executive officer and chair of the board of directors became effective on March 6, 2023. 

In the first full quarter following Brent’s return to the company, Bausch + Lomb saw double-digit total revenue growth. In that same time frame, Brent guided the company in its acquisition of the Blink® line of eye and contact lens drops and also provided strategic guidance to enter a definitive agreement for the acquisition of XIIDRA®.

By the end of 2023, Bausch + Lomb had exceeded its expectations for revenue growth. In the fourth quarter of 2023, the company’s total reported revenue was $1.173 billion, an 18% increase compared to the fourth quarter of 2022. Bausch + Lomb’s total reported revenue in 2023 was $4.146 billion, a 10% increase compared to 2022.

Bausch + Lomb continued to see growth into the first half of 2024. In the second quarter of 2024, Bausch + Lomb announced the approval or launch of three unique products, in three distinct business sectors, all within a 12-day span.

The company’s continued growth is driven by Brent’s long-term goal for Bausch + Lomb — to be the best eye health company. His executive strategies are rooted in prioritizing customers and delivering quality products while staying committed to innovation. 

Bausch + Lomb Acquires XIIDRA in 2023

In June 2023, Bausch + Lomb announced plans to acquire XIIDRA, completing the deal in September 2023. The acquisition allowed Bausch + Lomb to grow its presence in the dry eye disease market and diversify its dry eye portfolio. The terms of the agreement included the acquisition of XIIDRA and other ophthalmology assets from Novartis for up to $2.5 billion.

Roam

  • 2023-present
  • Chair, Board of Directors

Since 2023, Brent has served as chair of the board of directors for Roam, contributing his valuable experience in building successful brands from the ground up. Roam allows people to connect through a virtual office interface, with unique features aimed at increasing efficiency and keeping employees engaged in remote work settings. Brent views Roam’s technology as “the future of work,” as he shared upon his appointment. The company expanded in early 2024, moving away from its invite-only status to take on new sign-ups from the public. 

Arena AI

  • 2024-present
  • Director

Brent sees AI as a catalyst for change for many industries, including health care. The company’s AI-driven approach has helped companies across a variety of industries, including manufacturing and consumer brands, increase operational efficiency.

Nextech

  • 2024-present
  • Board Advisor

Brent joined Nextech leadership in 2024 as a board advisor. A leading provider of health care technology solutions, Nextech appoints leadership members and advisors who bring their industry experience and expertise to provide strategic guidance on driving innovation. Nextech services specialty physician practices, including dermatologists, ophthalmologists and medical spas.

PricewaterhouseCoopers

  • 1999-2003
  • Partner, Pharmaceutical and Health Care Practice

In 1999, Brent joined PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), an international professional services organization focused on providing premium tax, advisory and assurance services to individuals. Brent first joined the organization in a consulting role before he became partner in 2000. During his time at PwC, Brent also served as the Head of the Compliance Business Advisory Group. Brent left the company in 2003 to join Schering-Plough Corporation.