GSK rehires China government relations executive linked to whistleblower probe
British pharmaceutical confirms Vivian Shi, who was named in company investigation into emails alleging bribery, is back at work
Britain’s GlaxoSmithKline said on Monday it had rehired Vivian Shi, a former Chinese government affairs executive at the firm who was the focus of an internal probe into information leaks alleging bribery at the company’s China unit.
GSK was fined US$489 million last year after a mainland police investigation concluded the firm had paid doctors to prescribe its drugs, underlining steep compliance risks for firms in the world’s second largest economy.
Shi was named in the internal investigation carried out on behalf of GSK China into a series of emails alleging bribery by the British firm, and which were sent to Chinese government agencies and senior GSK staff, according to a June 2013 summary of the investigation seen by Reuters.
The investigation did not prove Shi, who had left her job in 2012 and before the bribery investigation came to light, was behind the emails.
GSK declined to comment on specific questions about the case. “We can confirm we have rehired Vivian," the firm said. “We are not going to comment further on an individual employee.
“Vivian herself is not available for comment,” it added. Shi could not be reached separately for comment.