Albert Bourla
Albert Bourla (born 21 October 1961) is a Greek-American veterinarian and business executive serving as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Pfizer since 2019. Born in Thessaloniki, Greece, to Sephardic Jewish parents who survived the Holocaust, Bourla earned his doctorate in veterinary biotechnology before joining Pfizer's animal health division in 1993. Rising through the ranks over 26 years, he became CEO in January 2019 and led Pfizer's historic development of the first FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine in partnership with BioNTech, completing development in nine months instead of the typical 10+ years. This achievement earned him the 2022 Genesis Prize ($1 million), CNN Business CEO of the Year (2021), and global recognition, though also generated controversies over vaccine pricing (accused of "war profiteering"), alleged unsubstantiated claims about children's vaccines, and "Pfizergate" involving undisclosed communications with EU Commission President von der Leyen. Married to Myriam Alchanati with two children, Bourla lives in Scarsdale, New York, with a summer home in Chalkidiki, Greece. His 2024 compensation of $24.6 million and net worth of ~$40 million reflect his leadership of one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies ($200+ billion market cap). He redirected his entire $1 million Genesis Prize to Holocaust education, honoring his parents' survival and the 50,000 Thessaloniki Jews who perished.
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1961/10/21 (age 64) Thessaloniki, Greece |
| Nationality | Greek-American |
| Education | DVM, PhD in Veterinary Biotechnology |
| Spouse | Myriam Alchanati |
| Children | 2 |
| Career details | |
| Occupation | Business Executive |
| Title | Chairman and CEO of Pfizer |
| Term | 2019–present |
| Compensation | $24.6 million (2024) |
| Net worth | US$35-40 million (2024) |
Major Achievements
- COVID-19 vaccine development (2020) - Led Pfizer's partnership with BioNTech to develop first FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine in 9 months
- Genesis Prize (2022) - Awarded $1 million prize, donated entirely to Holocaust education
- TIME 100 Health (2024)
- CNN Business CEO of the Year (2021)
Major Controversies
- Vaccine pricing - Accused of "war profiteering" when Pfizer quadrupled COVID-19 vaccine price to $110-130/dose
- Pfizergate scandal - Undisclosed communications with EU Commission President von der Leyen
- Activist investor challenge (2024)
- Alleged unsubstantiated claims about children's vaccines
Personal Life
Albert Bourla is married to Myriam Alchanati and has two children. He holds a veterinary doctorate from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and speaks Greek and English fluently. The family lives in Scarsdale, New York, with a summer home in Chalkidiki, Greece.
His parents were Sephardic Jews who survived the Holocaust in Thessaloniki, where 50,000 Jews perished. This heritage deeply influences his philanthropy - he donated his entire $1 million Genesis Prize to Holocaust education programs.
Net worth: $35-40 million | Compensation: $24.6M (2024), $33M (2022 peak)