Tom Pike has been named chief executive officer of Quintiles. He will take over the role from Dennis Gillings, CBE, who founded the company and will continue as executive chairman.

Mr. Pike brings 30 years of experience to Quintiles, spanning a variety of industries and leading companies. He spent 22 years at Accenture, including more than 10 years in leadership roles. His roles there included leading the North America Health and Products business areas. Prior to that, he was the global chief operating officer for Accenture’s Resources operating group and also served as the company’s chief strategy officer. Since leaving Accenture in 2010, Mr. Pike has been involved with a number of start-ups in the technology and healthcare sectors. He will join Quintiles on April 30, 2012.

“Tom has an impressive track record of helping customers navigate fast-changing environments and solving complex business issues,” said Mr. Gillings. “He has experience with organizations our size and much larger that will be extremely valuable to us. Tom has a disciplined and forthright approach that will enable him to earn the trust of customers and employees alike. I’m confident he will soon make his mark on our company and the industry at large, continuing the Quintiles tradition of entrepreneurial leadership and pioneering growth.”

Mr. Pike added, “Healthcare is the most important industry of the next quarter century, and I’m excited because Quintiles is right at the center of improving the health of millions of people around the world. It’s extremely motivating to join the company at this point in time. I understand the magnitude and complexity of its customers’ challenges. I’m looking forward to bringing my skills and experience to help this talented team build on its successes as it continues its journey as one of the world’s great companies.”