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| Sanofi CEO Olivier Brandicourt |
Sanofi ($SNY) is divvying up its operations to create three brand-new business units, in newly minted CEO Olivier Brandicourt's first big move of his tenure. Along with its vaccines unit Sanofi Pasteur and animal health business Merial, the restructuring makes 5 discrete operations out of a variety of Sanofi operations worldwide.
The reorg puts specialty drugs, including cancer, under the Sanofi Genzyme umbrella, to be run by current Genzyme chief David Meeker. The new Diabetes & Cardiovascular unit will comprise the French drugmaker's diabetes franchise--currently its biggest business--and its highly anticipated cholesterol drug Praluent, as well as other CV meds. And a third unit will combine Sanofi's established products, generics, consumer health and emerging markets under the name General Medicines & Emerging Markets.
Pascale Witz, who currently serves as EVP for global divisions and strategic development, will head up the Diabetes & CV unit, while current EVP of global commercial operations Peter Guenter takes on General Medicines & Emerging Markets. EVP Olivier Charmeil will continue running the Sanofi Pasteur vaccines operation, while EVP Carsten Hellman keeps his post at the top of Merial.
"The new organization simplifies and focuses Sanofi to optimize growth," Brandicourt said in statement. "This is a necessary step for ensuring that Sanofi's new medicines and vaccines continue to build on our heritage of providing innovative healthcare therapies."
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The changes take effect January 1, Sanofi said. The company's executive committee--which already includes the managers of the three new units--will remain the same.
- see the Sanofi release
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