Bristol-Myers Squibb appoints market access head

Bristol-Myers Squibb has announced the appointment of Patrick Hopkinson as the director of its market access and external affairs team in the UK.

Mr Hopkinson joins the company following a 14-year career with GlaxoSmithKline and steps into a role vacated by Richard Marsh in December 2010.

In his former position with GlaxoSmithKline, he served as UK director for portfolio and partnership marketing, while he has also previously been employed as a consultant pharmacist in the NHS.

Mr Hopkinson will lead a 40-strong team at Bristol-Myers Squibb and will take charge of issues such as PR and public affairs, health economics and outcomes strategy, as well as interactions with the NHS and Department of Health.

Bristol-Myers Squibb UK's European vice-president and general manager Frederic Duchesne said: "Patrick will play a major role in helping to ensure optimal access for our portfolio of new products in a challenging and quickly evolving UK healthcare environment."

Earlier this month, Bristol-Myers Squibb announced the agreement of a deal to acquire ZymoGenetics, in order to expand its business reach and product portfolio.