Pharma Giles writes

Vatican Radio has banned Novartis CEO Dan Vasella from its airwaves after it learned that Mr. Vasella believed that he was God.

Vasella had applied to be a Vatican Radio “Commentator of the Week,” according to Reuters, and the station accepted. The invite was subsequently withdrawn after the Pope’s people learned that Vasella had allegedly once claimed divine powers akin to those of the Holy Trinity. This claim arose in response to suggestions back in February 2008 that any attempt to split his role as both CEO and Chairman of Novartis would “be like attempting to split the roles of God The Father, The Son and The Holy Ghost.”

“I’m an irreplaceable genius,” Mr. Vasella was rumoured to have claimed, echoing similar self-effacing sentiments of the former CEO of GSK and master of modesty John Pierre Garnier. “How could anyone possibly do my combined roles better than I?”

The approach of the Vatican to the separation of key executive management functions cannot be subject to the smallest doubt, however.

Reuters said: “The broadcaster had asked Novartis Chief Executive Daniel Vasella to be its “Commentator of the Week” in February, but said that it had now decided to fill the slot with a less controversial pharmaceutical executive.”

“We’re delighted to have former CEO of AstraZeneca US, Lars Bildman, talking to us instead,” a Vatican Radio representative said.

A not unrelated tale from the real world may be found here.