Sanofi says Dr Paul Chew will succeed Jean-Pierre Lehner as senior vice president, chief medical officer and head of global medical affairs next January.
Lehner is retiring on 31 December 2012 after more than 20 years at the French drugmaker.
Chew is currently svp, chief science officer and chief medical officer at Sanofi US. He will report to Dr Elias Zerhouni, president, global research and development and will be based in Bridgewater, NJ and Paris, France.
Dr Zerhouni said the experience Chew has gained through his previous roles, including his work as a cardiologist, his expertise in diabetes and work within r&d, make him ideally suited to his new role.
Christopher Viehbacher, chief executive of Sanofi, said: ‘Jean-Pierre dedicated his career to the wellbeing of patients and the success of the Group.
‘Throughout his impressive and diversified career, he has made significant and lasting contributions to improve public health and has been a key contributor to Sanofi’s success.’
Lehner joined the group in 1992 and was appointed to positions of increasing responsibility before starting in his current position in 2009.
Chew was appointed to his current position in January 2009. Between 2007 and 2009 he was president, US research & development and vp, therapeutic department head, Metabolism, Diabetes and Thrombosis, responsible for Lovenox, Lantus, and the therapeutic development portfolio.
Between 2001 and 2004, he was vp, global head of Metabolism and Diabetes at Aventis Pharmaceuticals.
He held numerous positions at Bristol-Myers Squibb between 1992 and 2001, including vp, US Medical Affairs (1999–2001).
Prior to joining the industry, Chew was assistant professor of medicine at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in the US.
