Obituary: Swiss Philanthropist and Biotech Leader Fritz Gerber Dies, Aged 91

By Logan Martell

It has been announced that Fritz Gerber, philanthropist and long-time head of Roche Holding, has died of a stroke at the age of 91. Gerber was responsible for turning the drug and chemical conglomerate into a leader in the fields of biotechnology and diagnostics.

Born in 1929 in Bern, Gerber studied as a lawyer, joining what would later become Zurich Insurance. When Gerber joined Roche, it was facing significant blowback from a chemical explosion in 1976 which caused damaged the environment in northern Italy, as well as the upcoming loss on the patent on Valium, the company’s most lucrative drug.

Among Gerber’s successes was the 1990 deal for 60 percent of Genentech in San Francisco, a move which turned their $2 billion investment into tens of billions over the years, through drugs such as Herceptin and Avastin.

A major philanthropist, Gerber created the Fritz Gerber Foundation for Gifted Young People in 1999, which funded the education of promising athletes, craftsmen, and artists. He also served on the board of groups such as the Paul Sacher Foundation for Contemporary Music, the Lucerne Music Festival, and the Orchestra Academy of the Berling Philharmonic Orchestra.

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