GSK replaces China chief amid scandal

Finance head free to travel

At the same time, travel restrictions on GSK's finance head for China, Steve Nechelput, which had prevented him from leaving the country, are believed to have been lifted, the spokesman added.

Nechelput will continue in his role as finance director for GSK China and will remain based there. News last week that Nechelput had been stopped from leaving China sparked concern about the scale of the probe facing GSK, although GSK said he had not been questioned or detained by authorities.

Chinese police have detained four Chinese GSK executives in connection with allegations that the drugmaker funnelled up to 3 billion yuan ($489 million) to travel agencies to facilitate bribes to doctors and officials.

GSK has admitted that some Chinese executives appeared to have broken the law but Chief Executive Andrew Witty said on Wednesday that head office had had no knowledge of the alleged wrongdoing.

Witty said the "deeply disappointing" episode appeared to involve certain senior local staff working outside GSK systems. He has commissioned law firm Ropes & Gray to carry out an independent review into what happened.

In addition to running much of Europe for GSK, new China head Gisserot has also acted as president of the French pharmaceutical industry trade body LEEM, a position the group said he would give up at the end of August.

A man walks in front of a GlaxoSmithKline factory at Pudong district in Shanghai July 11, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]