Directors of GlaxoSmithKline, the UK-based pharmaceutical company, are set to decide early next year whether to appoint to their board the two senior company managers passed over in the race to be chief executive, according to individuals close to the discussions.

The nominations of David Stout and Chris Viehbacher would provide an incentive to help persuade them to stay at GSK after they lost out last week to Andrew Witty, who will replace Jean-Pierre Garnier as head of the company in June.