Merck & Co. selected current Nike CIO Jim Scholefield to serve as its chief information and digital officer, effective Oct. 29, according to a PM Live news report.
In his role, Mr. Scholefield will sit on the company's executive committee, overseeing the drugmaker's IT, digital strategy and cybersecurity practices.
Before Nike, Mr. Scholefield was chief technology officer at the Coca-Cola Co.
"I'm honored and excited to have the opportunity to join Merck, a company that has made — and continues to make — a significant difference in the world," said Mr. Scholefield. "I look forward to contributing to the executive committee and to helping the company further succeed by driving industry-leading technology and digital capabilities across all aspects of the business."
Merck's decision to hire a new chief to manage its digital strategy comes just nine days after Pfizer named former Quest Diagnostics execLidia Fonseca chief digital officer.