⚠ Leadership Update: John F. Milligan, Ph.D. served as CEO of Gilead Sciences from March 2016 to December 2018. The current Chairman & CEO is Daniel O’Day (since March 2019).
Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: GILD), a leading American biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Foster City, California, was led by John F. Milligan, Ph.D. as President and Chief Executive Officer from March 2016 to December 2018. Milligan was the 32nd employee hired by Gilead when he joined in 1990 as a research scientist, and over a 29-year career he rose through positions including CFO, COO, and President before being named CEO. Under his leadership, Gilead developed and commercialized more than 25 new therapies, including the first single-tablet regimen for HIV treatment and the first 12-week all-oral cure for hepatitis C. Today, Gilead Sciences is a $176 billion company with annual revenues exceeding $29 billion.
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John Milligan – Quick Facts
Gilead Sciences Competitors
Gilead Sciences operates in the highly competitive biopharmaceutical industry, with key therapeutic areas including HIV/AIDS, liver diseases, oncology (cell therapy), and inflammation. The major competitors of Gilead Sciences include:
- AbbVie – competes in immunology, oncology, and virology
- Bristol-Myers Squibb – competes in oncology (cell therapy: Abecma, Breyanzi) and virology
- Merck & Co. – competes across HIV, oncology, and infectious diseases
- ViiV Healthcare (GSK/Pfizer/Shionogi joint venture) – primary competitor in HIV treatments
- Roche / Genentech – competes in oncology and diagnostics
- Novartis – competes in cell therapy (Kymriah) and oncology
- Amgen – competes in oncology and inflammation
- Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) – competes in HIV and oncology
John Milligan Net Worth 2026 – Gilead CEO Salary
During his tenure as Gilead Sciences CEO (2016–2018), John Milligan earned substantial compensation packages. In his first year as CEO (2016), his total compensation was approximately $13.9 million, which included a 25% raise in base salary to $1.46 million upon assuming the CEO role. In 2017, his total compensation grew 11% to $15.4 million. In his final year (2018), Milligan’s total compensation reached approximately $25.9 million, which included separation-related payments.
While a precise current net worth figure for John Milligan is not publicly disclosed, his multi-year compensation from Gilead Sciences—including substantial stock and option awards—along with his ongoing board chairmanships at PacBio, 4DMT, and Kailera Therapeutics, suggest a net worth well into the tens of millions.
Gilead CEO Compensation – John Milligan (2016–2018)
*2018 includes separation-related accelerated equity vesting; approximately $3.6 million of the stock awards were severance-related.
Key Insight: Even excluding separation payments, Milligan’s 2018 compensation was approximately $16.7 million. His separation agreement included $8.2 million in exchange for a release of claims. The majority of his pay in every year was performance-based equity.
Gilead Sciences Net Worth 2026 – Is Gilead Profitable?
Yes, Gilead Sciences is a highly profitable company. In its most recent full fiscal year (FY2025), Gilead reported $29.4 billion in total revenue and $8.5 billion in net income (GAAP), a dramatic rebound from the prior year. The company’s market capitalization stood at approximately $176 billion as of February 2026, making it one of the most valuable biopharmaceutical companies in the world.
Gilead Sciences Financial Summary (FY2025)
Strong Rebound: Gilead’s FY2025 GAAP net income surged to $8.5 billion from just $480 million in FY2024, driven by HIV franchise growth (Biktarvy alone generated $14.3B in sales, up 7%) and the absence of prior-year impairment charges. The stock reached an all-time closing high of $155.80 in February 2026.
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Gilead Sciences Contact – John Milligan Email Address
John Milligan retired from Gilead Sciences in December 2018 and no longer has a Gilead corporate email address. Below are the current contact details for Gilead Sciences and John Milligan’s public professional profile:
Career & Education – Company, University, & College
John F. Milligan’s career at Gilead Sciences spanned nearly three decades, from 1990 to 2018. He joined the company as its 32nd employee when it was still a small private biotech. Over the next 29 years, he held progressively senior roles spanning research, project management, corporate development, finance, and operations before ultimately leading the company as CEO.
As Chief Financial Officer, Milligan orchestrated some of Gilead’s most consequential acquisitions, including Triangle Pharmaceuticals (2003), Myogen (2006), and CV Therapeutics (2009). In 2006 and 2007, Institutional Investor magazine named him the top CFO in the biotechnology industry, and in 2006 he was honored as “Bay Area Chief Financial Officer of the Year.”
As COO and President, he oversaw the landmark $11 billion acquisition of Pharmassett in 2012, which gave Gilead the foundation for its blockbuster hepatitis C drugs Sovaldi and Harvoni. He also led the $11.9 billion acquisition of Kite Pharma in 2017, positioning Gilead as a leader in CAR-T cell therapy.
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After retiring from Gilead in December 2018, Milligan has remained active in the biotech industry through board leadership roles. He became Executive Chairman of 4D Molecular Therapeutics (4DMT) in 2020, Chairman of Pacific Biosciences (PacBio, NASDAQ: PACB) in September 2020 (having served on the board since 2013), and Chairman of Kailera Therapeutics, a clinical-stage obesity therapeutics company, in October 2024.
John Milligan Career Timeline
Education
John Milligan Wiki – Age, Wife, Family, & More
John F. Milligan (age approximately 64 as of 2026) and his wife Kathryn (Kathie) Bradford Milligan reside in Hillsborough, California. Both John and Kathie are alumni of Ohio Wesleyan University. Kathie studied speech communications at OWU and went on to serve as the FBI’s national spokesperson at its Washington, D.C. headquarters and Quantico-based FBI Academy during a six-year career with the Bureau. After the FBI, she worked as a consultant for Fortune 500 companies, handling media relations, crisis management, and issue management. Their son, Bradford F. Milligan, also attended Ohio Wesleyan University.
The Milligan family has deep roots at Ohio Wesleyan. John serves as Chair of the university’s Board of Trustees. Multiple generations on both sides of the family attended OWU, including John’s great-grandparents Jennie Fairbanks Milligan and Melvin Lee Milligan, his grandfather Robert Lee Milligan, his brother Scott Milligan, and Kathie’s great uncle J. Paul Thompson and grandmother Doris Ann Thompson Peake, among others. John is a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity.
Notable Achievements & Recognitions
- Top Biotech CFO – Named top CFO in the biotechnology industry by Institutional Investor magazine (2006, 2007)
- Bay Area CFO of the Year – Honored as “Bay Area Chief Financial Officer of the Year” (2006)
- 25+ New Therapies – Led development and commercialization of more than 25 therapies during his Gilead tenure
- HIV Milestone – Oversaw development of the first single-tablet regimen for HIV treatment
- HCV Cure Pioneer – Led the team behind the first 12-week all-oral cure for hepatitis C
- Transformative Acquisitions – Orchestrated the acquisitions of Pharmassett ($11B, 2012) and Kite Pharma ($11.9B, 2017)
- World Economic Forum – Featured speaker at the World Economic Forum in Davos
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About Gilead Sciences
Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a leading American biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Foster City, California. Founded in 1987 by Michael L. Riordan, Gilead has grown into one of the world’s largest biotech companies, with a market capitalization of approximately $176 billion and annual revenues of $29.4 billion (FY2025). The company employs approximately 17,000 people across 35+ countries.
Gilead is best known for its leadership in antiviral medicines, particularly for HIV/AIDS and hepatitis. The company’s product portfolio spans several key therapeutic areas:
Gilead Sciences trades on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the ticker symbol GILD. The company is led by Chairman & CEO Daniel O’Day, who succeeded John Milligan in March 2019.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Who is the current CEO of Gilead Sciences?
The current Chairman and CEO of Gilead Sciences is Daniel O’Day, who was appointed in March 2019. He succeeded John F. Milligan, who served as CEO from March 2016 to December 2018. Before Gilead, O’Day was CEO of Roche Pharmaceuticals.
What is John Milligan doing now in 2026?
As of 2026, John F. Milligan holds three major board leadership roles in the biotech industry: Executive Chairman of 4D Molecular Therapeutics (4DMT), Chairman of Pacific Biosciences (PacBio), and Chairman of Kailera Therapeutics, a clinical-stage obesity therapeutics company. He also serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees of Ohio Wesleyan University.
What was John Milligan’s salary as Gilead CEO?
During his tenure as Gilead CEO (2016–2018), John Milligan’s total compensation ranged from $13.9 million in 2016 to $25.9 million in 2018 (which included separation-related payments). His base salary was approximately $1.46–$1.58 million, with the majority of his compensation coming from stock and option awards.
Why did John Milligan leave Gilead?
Gilead Sciences announced in July 2018 that CEO John Milligan would step down. He officially retired in December 2018. Milligan served as President and CEO during a challenging period of declining hepatitis C revenues, though the company remained highly profitable. He was succeeded by Daniel O’Day, who joined from Roche in March 2019.
Is Gilead Sciences a profitable company?
Yes, Gilead Sciences is highly profitable. In FY2025, the company reported $8.5 billion in net income (GAAP) on $29.4 billion in total revenue. The company’s operating margin was 34%, and its non-GAAP diluted EPS was $8.15. HIV products, led by Biktarvy ($14.3B in sales), remain the dominant revenue driver.
How long did John Milligan work at Gilead Sciences?
John Milligan worked at Gilead Sciences for approximately 29 years, from 1990 to December 2018. He was the company’s 32nd employee, joining as a research scientist when Gilead was still a small private biotechnology company. He rose through roles including Director of Project Management, VP of Corporate Development, CFO, COO, and President before becoming CEO in 2016.
Article last updated:March 2026March 2, 2026
Disclaimer: All information presented in this article has been compiled from publicly available sources, including SEC filings (DEF 14A proxy statements), official company press releases, and reputable news outlets. This content is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice.