Arthur D. Levinson
Encyclopedia
Arthur D. Levinson is the chairman of Genentech
(1999 to present) and the chairman of Apple Inc. (2011 to present). He is the former chief executive officer of Genentech (1995–2009) and is also a member of Genentech’s Scientific Research Board, which serves as an advisory group to the company regarding its research and early development projects.
In addition to serving as Chairman for Genentech
and Apple. Inc., Levinson serves on the Board of Directors for NGM Biopharmaceuticals, Inc., Amyris Biotechnologies, Inc. and the Broad Institute
of MIT and Harvard. He currently serves on the Board of Scientific Consultants of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
, the Industrial Advisory Board of the California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences
(QB3), the Advisory Council for the Princeton University
Department of Molecular Biology and the Advisory Council for the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics.
in Seattle in 1972, and his PhD in Biochemistry from Princeton University
in 1977. He subsequently moved to a postdoctoral position with Michael Bishop
and Harold Varmus in the Department of Microbiology at the University of California, San Francisco
, from where he was hired to Genentech by Herb Boyer.
in 1980 as a research scientist and became vice president, Research Technology in 1989; vice president, Research in 1990; senior vice president, Research in 1992; and senior vice president, Research and Development in 1993.
In 1995, Levinson became Genentech’s chief executive officer, and in 1999 he was named chairman. In the same year, Levinson received the Irvington Institute's Corporate Leadership Award in Science and was honored with the Corporate Leadership Award from the National Breast Cancer Coalition
.
Levinson was inducted into the Biotech Hall of Fame at the 2003 Biotech Meeting of chief executive officers. BusinessWeek named Levinson one of the “Best Managers of the Year” in 2004 and 2005, and Institutional Investor named him “America’s Best CEO” in the biotech category four years in a row (2004–2007). Levinson served as a director of Google, Inc.
from 2004 to 2009, when he resigned from Google's board of directors.
In 2006, Princeton University awarded Levinson the James Madison Medal for a distinguished career in scientific research and in biotechnology. Also in 2006, Barron’s recognized Levinson as one of “The World’s Most Respected CEOs,” and the Best Practice Institute placed Levinson on their “25 Top CEOs” list. In 2008, Levinson was elected as a Fellow to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences and Glassdoor.com rated him as the "nicest" CEO of 2008 with a 93% approval rating.
In 2010, the Biotechnology Industry Organization honored Levinson with the Biotechnology Heritage Award and the San Francisco Exploratorium with their Director’s Award.
Levinson has authored or co-authored more than 80 scientific articles and has been a named inventor on 11 United States patents.
On November 15, 2011 Levinson was named chairman of the board for Apple Inc. replacing the late Steve Jobs
.
Genentech
Genentech Inc., or Genetic Engineering Technology, Inc., is a biotechnology corporation, founded in 1976 by venture capitalist Robert A. Swanson and biochemist Dr. Herbert Boyer. Trailing the founding of Cetus by five years, it was an important step in the evolution of the biotechnology industry...
(1999 to present) and the chairman of Apple Inc. (2011 to present). He is the former chief executive officer of Genentech (1995–2009) and is also a member of Genentech’s Scientific Research Board, which serves as an advisory group to the company regarding its research and early development projects.
In addition to serving as Chairman for Genentech
Genentech
Genentech Inc., or Genetic Engineering Technology, Inc., is a biotechnology corporation, founded in 1976 by venture capitalist Robert A. Swanson and biochemist Dr. Herbert Boyer. Trailing the founding of Cetus by five years, it was an important step in the evolution of the biotechnology industry...
and Apple. Inc., Levinson serves on the Board of Directors for NGM Biopharmaceuticals, Inc., Amyris Biotechnologies, Inc. and the Broad Institute
Broad Institute
The Broad Institute is a genomic medicine research center located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Although it is independently governed and supported as a 501 nonprofit research organization, the institute is formally affiliated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard...
of MIT and Harvard. He currently serves on the Board of Scientific Consultants of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center is a cancer treatment and research institution founded in 1884 as the New York Cancer Hospital...
, the Industrial Advisory Board of the California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences
California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences
The California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences is a nonprofit research and technology commercialization institute spanning three University of California campuses in the San Francisco Bay Area: UC Berkeley, UCSF, and UC Santa Cruz...
(QB3), the Advisory Council for the Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
Department of Molecular Biology and the Advisory Council for the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics.
Education
He received his bachelor's degree from the University of WashingtonUniversity of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
in Seattle in 1972, and his PhD in Biochemistry from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1977. He subsequently moved to a postdoctoral position with Michael Bishop
Michael Bishop
Michael Bishop may refer to:* Michael Bishop, Baron Glendonbrook , British businessman and politician* Michael Bishop , American science fiction/fantasy author...
and Harold Varmus in the Department of Microbiology at the University of California, San Francisco
University of California, San Francisco
The University of California, San Francisco is one of the world's leading centers of health sciences research, patient care, and education. UCSF's medical, pharmacy, dentistry, nursing, and graduate schools are among the top health science professional schools in the world...
, from where he was hired to Genentech by Herb Boyer.
Career
Levinson joined GenentechGenentech
Genentech Inc., or Genetic Engineering Technology, Inc., is a biotechnology corporation, founded in 1976 by venture capitalist Robert A. Swanson and biochemist Dr. Herbert Boyer. Trailing the founding of Cetus by five years, it was an important step in the evolution of the biotechnology industry...
in 1980 as a research scientist and became vice president, Research Technology in 1989; vice president, Research in 1990; senior vice president, Research in 1992; and senior vice president, Research and Development in 1993.
In 1995, Levinson became Genentech’s chief executive officer, and in 1999 he was named chairman. In the same year, Levinson received the Irvington Institute's Corporate Leadership Award in Science and was honored with the Corporate Leadership Award from the National Breast Cancer Coalition
National Breast Cancer Coalition
On September 20, 2010, the National Breast Cancer Coalition , a grassroots advocacy organization that seeks to improve public policies surrounding breast cancer research, diagnosis and treatment, launched Breast Cancer Deadline 2020, a call to action for policymakers, researchers, breast cancer...
.
Levinson was inducted into the Biotech Hall of Fame at the 2003 Biotech Meeting of chief executive officers. BusinessWeek named Levinson one of the “Best Managers of the Year” in 2004 and 2005, and Institutional Investor named him “America’s Best CEO” in the biotech category four years in a row (2004–2007). Levinson served as a director of Google, Inc.
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
from 2004 to 2009, when he resigned from Google's board of directors.
In 2006, Princeton University awarded Levinson the James Madison Medal for a distinguished career in scientific research and in biotechnology. Also in 2006, Barron’s recognized Levinson as one of “The World’s Most Respected CEOs,” and the Best Practice Institute placed Levinson on their “25 Top CEOs” list. In 2008, Levinson was elected as a Fellow to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences and Glassdoor.com rated him as the "nicest" CEO of 2008 with a 93% approval rating.
In 2010, the Biotechnology Industry Organization honored Levinson with the Biotechnology Heritage Award and the San Francisco Exploratorium with their Director’s Award.
Levinson has authored or co-authored more than 80 scientific articles and has been a named inventor on 11 United States patents.
On November 15, 2011 Levinson was named chairman of the board for Apple Inc. replacing the late Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs
Steven Paul Jobs was an American businessman and inventor widely recognized as a charismatic pioneer of the personal computer revolution. He was co-founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Apple Inc...
.