James Murdoch to step down from GSK's board

James Murdoch will step down from GlaxoSmithKline's (GSK) board of directors after the pharma company's annual general meeting later this year.

Murdoch is chairman and chief executive of the News Corporation media empire, which faced a series of damaging revelations during 2011 over phone hacking at its UK newspaper the News of the World.

GSK's chairman Sir Christopher Gent said: “James has taken this decision to focus on his current duties as non-executive chairman of BSkyB, and following his decision to re-locate to the US, as chairman and chief executive, international, of News Corporation.

“On behalf of the board, I would like to thank James for the very strong contribution he has made since he was appointed in 2009 and wish him well for the future.”

Other planned changes to GSK's board will see Sir Crispin Davis, Sir Robert Wilson and Larry Culp step down in 2013.

Sir Crispin will be succeeded by Tom de Swaan, who will take over as chairman of the remuneration committee with effect from January 1, 2013, and Judy Lewent, who will take over as chair of the audit and risk committee with effect from the same date.

Meanwhile Sir Deryck Maughan will succeed Sir Robert as senior independent non-executive director with effect from the closure of GSK's annual general meeting in 2013.