In this article PFE Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Ian Read, chairman and chief executive officer of Pfizer, speaks as President Donald Trump, left, listens during an announcement on a new pharmaceutical glass packaging initiative in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., July 20, 2017.
Andrew Harrer | Bloomberg | Getty Images Former Pfizer CEO Ian Read and ex-CFO Frank D'Amelio said Wednesday evening that they would step away from Starboard Value's campaign at the struggling pharmaceutical giant, just days after news of the activist's stake broke. Read and D'Amelio said they were "fully supportive" of Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla in a joint statement made via an investment bank and confirmed to be authentic. The duo had been in contact with a number of directors shortly before news of Starboard's stake broke Sunday evening, according to people familiar with the matter.
"We are confident that over time they will deliver shareholder value," the two former executives said of Pfizer's current board and management. The company's shares are essentially flat for the year and are off by roughly 50% from their 2021 highs. The statement was made through Guggenheim Securities, which has long advised Pfizer on dealmaking.
A representative for the bank declined to comment beyond the release. The about face comes as Pfizer's board grapples with the activist's efforts, and just days before Starboard's Jeff Smith was slated to meet with CEO Bourla, said peop.