Richard Tillyer, Ph.D.

Richard (Rich) Tillyer, Ph.D., is Global Head of the Johnson & Johnson Discovery, Product Development & Supply (DPDS) organization within Innovative Medicine Research & Development (IM R&D). He is also a member of the IM R&D Leadership Team, the Johnson and Johnson Group Operating Committee and serves as the R&D Executive Sponsor for the Scientist Mentoring & Diversity Program within IM as part of his strong belief in the importance of diversity in science.

As the head of DPDS, Richard leads a global team of multi-disciplinary scientists – drug hunters, drug developers and clinical supply experts – who work end-to-end to invent transformational therapeutics and optimal manufacturing processes.

Johnson & Johnson’s DPDS organization targets the hardest-to-treat diseases, inventing novel therapeutics with a modality-agnostic strategy using small molecules, proteins, RNA, cell and gene therapies. Its purpose is to be the fastest at advancing the best concepts, regardless of source, into a differentiated product, with the best conceivable manufacturing process and product at launch. DPDS partners seamlessly with a range of internal and external stakeholders to deliver on this commitment across all therapeutic areas.

Richard joined Johnson & Johnson in 2018 from Merck & Co (MSD outside of the United States), where he acquired extensive experience in all stages of drug discovery and product development across numerous therapeutic areas and modalities and served as a member of the Research Leadership Team for more than 10 years. During his 25-year tenure, he led large and varying aspects of Merck Research Labs, including Process Chemistry, Toxicology, Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Formulation, Biologics and Vaccines Process Development, High Throughput Screening, Discovery Biology, Medicinal Chemistry, Computational Chemistry and various platform groups. Under his leadership, Richard’s teams contributed to the discovery and development of numerous major products and significantly advanced the company’s pipeline. He led or actively contributed to major strategic initiatives including large and small-scale mergers and R&D integrations, most notably the integration of Schering-Plough in 2009.

Richard earned a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of British Columbia, Canada, completed a post-doctoral research fellowship in chemistry from the University of Cambridge, UK, and earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Exeter, England. He is a subject matter expert in synthetic chemistry, has published more than 70 scientific articles and publications and holds several patents.

Richard is a passionate, energetic and action-oriented leader with extensive experience in all stages of drug discovery, product development, commercialization and life cycle management across all therapeutic modalities and multiple therapeutic areas. He has extensive experience in building highly integrated internal R&D, leading large complex, diverse, science-based organizations and project portfolios across functions, divisions and geographies, and leveraging external R&D through CRO partnerships and collaborations.

His broad scientific background is complemented by a strong business acumen and a broad and deep understanding of the pharmaceutical business. He is a big picture, strategic thinker with exceptional organizational and operational skills and track record. He simplifies complex issues effectively to focus on what is most important. Richard is based in Spring House, PA. An avid sports fan, he follows West Ham United, the New York Jets and the Vancouver Canucks.