Rory O’Connor is chief medical officer of Pfizer Innovative Health, where he is currently responsible for large-scale development programs which include novel treatment technologies and real-world data analyses. Most recently, he oversaw the release of Pfizer’s findings from an analysis of data from nearly 50,000 patients to compare the efficacy of oral anticoagulants versus warfarin for the risk of stroke and rate of major bleeding, showing that the oral anticoagulant Eliquis was associated with a significantly lower risk of both.

Born to an Irish immigrant family in Liverpool, Rory’s heritage is tied to the O’Connors of County Sligo and the Fieldings of County Waterford. He and his family visit the country frequently, and lived for five years in West Cork. He says, “I have lived and worked in many countries, but Ireland remains the home of my ancestors and my relatives.”

He received his medical qualifications from the University of Liverpool in 1978 and initially practiced in family and internal medicine. He is a fellow of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine at the Royal College of Physicians. In 2000, Rory assumed responsibility for medical affairs in Pfizer European operations, connecting him with the company’s Dublin office.

Rory and his wife Catherine live in New York, where he is based at Pfizer’s global headquarters. Together, he and Catherine have five children, Mairéad, Ruairí, Ciara, Niamh, and Sinéad.