Moncef Slaoui

Moncef Slaoui is a Moroccan-born Belgian-American researcher, businessman, and former head of GlaxoSmithKline's vaccines department. He is best known for his role as the chief advisor to Operation Warp Speed, a U.S. government initiative to expedite the development of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Early Life and Education

Moncef Slaoui was born in Agadir, Morocco, in 1959. He moved to Belgium for his higher education, where he earned a PhD in molecular biology and immunology from the Free University of Brussels.

Career

Slaoui joined the pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in 1988. He held several positions within the company, including Chairman of Global Vaccines. Under his leadership, GSK developed a number of vaccines, including Cervarix for HPV and Mosquirix for malaria.

In 2020, Slaoui was appointed as the chief advisor to Operation Warp Speed, a U.S. government initiative aimed at accelerating the development, manufacturing, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics.

Controversies

Slaoui's tenure at Operation Warp Speed was not without controversy. He faced criticism for his financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry, including his stock holdings in GSK and his role on the board of directors of Moderna, one of the companies developing a COVID-19 vaccine.

Personal Life

Slaoui is a dual citizen of Belgium and the United States. He is married and has three children.

See Also

• GlaxoSmithKline
• Operation Warp Speed
• COVID-19 vaccine