Bulcke, who has been a member the Roche board since 2011, decided not to stand for re-election at the AGM due to be held on March 22 next year, following almost 11 years in the role, Roche added.

The Roche board has proposed Jemilah Mahmood, currently the Special Advisor on Public Health to Malaysia's prime minister, for election as a new member.

(Reporting by John Revill, editing by Louise Heavens)