Moderna Ousts New Finance Chief Amid Probe at Dentsply

By Colin Kellaher

Moderna Inc. on Wednesday said Jorge Gomez, who joined the vaccine maker this week as chief financial officer, has left amid an investigation by his former employer, Dentsply Sirona Inc., into matters that include financial reporting.

Moderna said David Meline, who had retired as chief financial officer, will retake the post while the company reopens its search for a successor.

Dentsply on Tuesday said its board's audit committee is looking into the use of incentives to sell products to distributors last year and whether the incentives were appropriately accounted for and the effect of the sales adequately disclosed.

The Charlotte, N.C., maker of dental products and technologies also said it is investigating allegations that certain current and former members of senior management directed the use of the incentives and other actions to hit executive compensation targets last year.

Dentsply last month abruptly fired Don Casey as chief executive and removed him from the board.

Mr. Gomez, meanwhile, resigned as Dentsply's chief financial officer to take the same post at Moderna and joined the Cambridge, Mass., company on Monday.

Moderna on Wednesday said that despite being on the job for just days, Mr. Gomez will receive a year's pay of $700,000 as part of his severance package. Mr. Gomez will forfeit his $500,000 signing bonus and other bonus eligibility, the company said.

Write to Colin Kellaher at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 11, 2022 08:44 ET (12:44 GMT)

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