Gourlet, 46, will also coordinate the activity of Sanofi’s regional structure which includes Bulgaria, Hungary, the Republic of Moldova and Romania.
Gourlet also took over as new chairman of the board of directors of pharmaceutical company Zentiva Romania (SCD.RO), part of the Sanofi group.
Sanofi’s senior vice president Global Operations Europe, Peter Guenter, said Romania is a strategic market for the Sanofi group in this part of Europe. He added Romania generates more than half of overall sales of Sanofi’s MCO (Multi- Country Organization) Danube.
Sanofi Romania is leader on the local pharmaceutical market with an 8.4% market share in value and 13.3% in volume, according to market research firm Cegedim Romania.
Romania’s pharmaceutical market reached 14.7 billion lei (EUR3.28 billion) in the first nine months of 2012.
Sanofi Romania’s sales rose over 5% on the year in 2012 and the company plans to keep this growth rate in 2013.
Sanofi directly and indirectly owns a 74.9% stake in Zentiva Romania. (EUR1=RON4.4762)