Sanofi picks CEO successor

 

With the decision of CEO Olivier Brandicourt to retire, Sanofi’s board during June chose Paul Hudson as his successor.

“The Board of Directors would like to thank Olivier Brandicourt for the energy with which he has steered the Group through a complex period and for his decisive contribution to the company’s return to growth,” Sanofi management says. “Thanks to the actions undertaken during his term of office, Sanofi is able to accelerate its growth, and has powerful assets to regain the position it needs to occupy.”

Hudson will succeed Brandicourt on Sept. 1, 2019. Hudson most recently was CEO of Novartis Pharmaceuticals and a member of the Executive Committee of Novartis.

Sanofi executives describe Hudson, 51, as a seasoned leader with a strong international experience, particularly in the United States, Japan and Europe. His 28-year career has been spent with major pharmaceutical companies such as Schering-Plough, AstraZeneca, and Novartis.

“Throughout his various management positions, he has proven his strategic vision, his strong leadership and his ability to achieve the greatest challenges, particularly in terms of innovation and digital transformation,” company executives say, adding that he has a very robust track record in successful major product launches.

Hudson will move to Paris.

According to Serge Weinberg, chairman of the board of directors of Sanofi, “We are very pleased that Paul Hudson has agreed to join Sanofi. His skills and experience give him all the assets he needs to accelerate growth and lead the group’s adaptation to new strategic challenges, particularly in the areas of research and development and digital. His human values will enable him to mobilize all the energies and increase the agility, that a group such as Sanofi needs, to face the new challenges of our industry and the changes in healthcare systems around the world.”