Sanofi names new chief patient officer

Sanofi has become the first top ten-ranked biopharmaceutical company to create a chief patient officer role within its leadership team.

Dr Anne Beal, an experienced paediatrician and public health specialist, will take up the new position, which will see her working to prioritise the perspective of the patient within Sanofi's operations.

The aim of this appointment will be to ensure the company's future healthcare offerings can better incorporate the priorities and needs of patients and caregivers, a focus that will extend from early-stage research and development through to market availability.

Dr Beal joins the company from the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute, the US' largest institute focused on patient-centered outcomes research.

Pascale Witz, executive vice-president for global divisions and strategic development at Sanofi, said: "Interactions with patients are a source of strength for the company and Dr Beal's appointment will help ensure the patient perspective advances our approach to meeting the unmet needs of patients."

This comes after the firm proposed the appointment of Patrick Kron as a new independent director last month, a decision that is expected to be finalised at a shareholders' meeting in May.