Kenneth Frazier will succeed Richard Clark as CEO of Merck effective January 1, 2011, the company announced this morning. Clark, who has led Merck as CEO since 2005, will continue as chairman. Frazier, a lawyer by training, was named Merck president in April.

Elaine Hochberg has been promoted to EVP and chief commercial officer, and Jerome Lynch to SVP sales, by Forest Labs. Hochberg was SVP and chief commercial officer, responsible for the marketing and managed markets groups, and has been given additional responsibility for the trade and institutional sales groups and the general field sales force. Lynch was SVP sales of Forest Pharmaceuticals, responsible for all territory and specialty sales and sales analytics. He now oversees sales training, as well.