Albert Bourla (Greek: Άλμπερτ Μπουρλά; born (1961-10-21)October 21, 1961) is a Greek-American veterinarian and businessman known for serving as the chairman and chief executive officer of the pharmaceutical company Pfizer. He joined the company in 1993 and has held several executive roles across Pfizer's divisions. Prior to becoming chief executive officer, Bourla was chief operating officer.
In addition to chairing the boards of Pfizer and the Pfizer Foundation, Bourla is or has been on the boards of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, Catalyst, the Partnership for New York City, and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. He is also a member of The Business Council, American think tank the Council on Foreign Relations and the Business Roundtable.
Bourla reshaped Pfizer to focus on research and development. Bourla opposes government interference in pharmaceutical pricing, which he argues would hamper spending on development of new drugs.
Bourla was awarded the 2022 Genesis Prize for his leadership in the development of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.
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Early life and education
Family history and the Holocaust
Bourla was born and raised in Thessaloniki, Greece. His parents, Mois and Sara, who were Sephardi Jews, were among the 2,000 of 50,000 Jews in Thessaloniki to survive the Holocaust; according to Bourla, his mother was allegedly minutes away from execution by firing squad when she was spared via a ransom paid to a Nazi Party official by her non-Jewish brother-in-law, while his father happened to be out of the Jewish ghetto when the residents were taken to the Auschwitz concentration camp and went into hiding, never to see his parents again.
Bourla has spoken with the Museum of Jewish Heritage in downtown Manhattan about his family's history and experience with the Holocaust. During a 2026 interview with CNN, Bourla said his mother's experience of being saved from the firing squad taught him and his sister "how life is miraculous" and "you don’t have to think things are impossible."
Education
Bourla earned a doctorate in veterinary medicine in 1985 and a Ph.D. in the biotechnology of reproduction at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki's School of Veterinary Science in 1991. Bourla's doctoral thesis (1991) is titled "Effect of melatonin implants on sperm characteristics and on the freezability of Karagouniki ram semen".
Career
Bourla joined Pfizer in 1993, first as a doctor of veterinary medicine and technical director for the company's animal health division in Greece. He left Greece with his wife when he was 34 after a promotion within Pfizer and since then he has lived in seven different cities, in four different countries. In 2001, he immigrated to the United States.
Bourla held multiple executive roles at Zoetis (then known as Animal Health) and other divisions of Pfizer. From 2005 to 2009, he was area president for Animal Health's Europe, Africa and Middle East division. In 2009 and 2010, he oversaw the Europe, Africa, and Asia Pacific division. In the latter role, he managed the merger of Wyeth's Fort Dodge Animal Health business with Pfizer in these regions.
From 2010 to 2013, Bourla was president and general manager of Pfizer's Established Products Business Unit. There, he built business for the company's drugs that had recently lost patent exclusivity.
From January 2014 to January 2016, Bourla was group president of Pfizer's global vaccines, oncology, and consumer healthcare business, where he led Pfizer's work on cancer and heart drugs, among others, and helped launch Eliquis, an anticoagulant, and Ibrance, a breast cancer treatment drug.
From February 2016 to December 2017, he was group president of Pfizer Innovative Health. In 2016, during his tenure, Innovative Health's revenue increased by 11%.
Bourla became Pfizer's chief operating officer (COO) on January 1, 2018, overseeing the company's drug development, manufacturing, sales, and strategy.
He was promoted to chief executive officer in October 2018, effective January 1, 2019, succeeding Ian Read, his mentor. In an announcement shortly after taking the role, Bourla explained that Pfizer would focus on scientific and pharmaceutical innovation, divesting from non-core businesses and increasing research spending.
In February 2019, Bourla was one of seven CEOs in the pharmaceutical industry who participated in a hearing on prescription drug prices in the United States with the United States Senate Committee on Finance.
Other activities and politics
Bourla has been on the Health Section Governing board of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, the largest biotechnology trade association worldwide. He joined Pfizer's board of directors in February 2018, and also is on the board of the Pfizer Foundation. Bourla is a board member of Catalyst, a global nonprofit organization promoting the advancement of women, and the Partnership for New York City,
Bourla was the chair of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), a trade association representing companies in the pharmaceutical industry in the United States. Bourla concluded his role as chair in February 2026. Bourla has served as both vice president and president of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations. Bourla is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, an American think tank focused on United States foreign policy and international relations.
He is a supporter of the Aris Thessaloniki sports club. To benefit Greece, he has organized vaccine donations, medical aid for refugees, and given more than $1 million in medicine to help uninsured patients. He established the Pfizer Artificial Intelligence Center in his hometown, directed Pfizer's participation in the Thessaloniki International Fair, is close friends with Geoffrey R. Pyatt, the United States ambassador to Greece, and brought Pfizer's leadership team to Greece to meet with Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
After Bourla was awarded the 2022 Genesis Prize by Israeli President Isaac Herzog for his leadership in delivering the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, he directed the $1 million prize to go towards Holocaust education and the Holocaust Museum of Greece to be built in Thessaloniki. Bourla also earned a 2022 Double Helix Medal "for spearheading the rapid development of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine".
Bourla has made political contributions to both Republicans and Democrats, particularly those who oppose controls on prescription drug prices in the United States.
Bourla is a member of The Business Council, an organization of business leaders headquartered in Washington, D.C., and the Business Roundtable, a group of chief executives of major U.S. corporations established to promote pro-business public policy.
Recognition
In April 2019, at the Prix Galien Greece Awards ceremony, Bourla was presented with the award for "Preeminent Greek Leader" of the global pharmaceutical industry by Geoffrey R. Pyatt, United States ambassador to Greece.
In 2020, Bourla was ranked as America's top CEO in the pharmaceutical industry by Institutional Investor.
In 2021, Bourla was named by Carnegie Corporation of New York as an honoree of the Great Immigrants Award.
In January 2022, Bourla was awarded the $1 million Genesis Prize for his leadership in the development of the COVID-19 vaccine. The Genesis Prize is awarded annually to an individual for professional achievement, contributions to humanity and commitment to Jewish ethics.
In May 2024, Bourla was among the guests invited to the state dinner hosted by U.S. president Joe Biden in honor of President William Ruto at the White House.
Bourla was named in Time 2024 list of Top 100 most influential people in health.
Personal life
Bourla and his wife live in Scarsdale, New York. He has two children: a daughter and a son.
Bourla maintains a home in Chalkidiki, which he visits every summer.