Pharmaceutical company Sanofi has named Christophe Gourlet (in picture) as Country Manager of Sanofi Romania and President of the Zentiva Administration Council from January 1, 2013. He will also be General Manager of the international Danube Organization, according to the company.

Christophe Gourlet graduated in Economics from the University Paris-Dauphine. He joined the Sanofi Group in 1993, holding various positions in the financial area, with high levels of responsibility in France, Portugal and later England.

In 2003 he assumed the position of CFO for Asia, Middle East, Central and Eastern Europe in Sanofi-Synthelabo, and then Vice President Global Business Operations Support for Sanofi. In 2005 he was promoted to Vice President Finance and Business Support in Japan, while in 2007 he became General Manager of Sanofi Morocco. Since 2010, Christophe Gourlet has served as Country Manager of Sanofi Hungary.

Sanofi, formerly Sanofi Aventis, is a global pharmaceutical company, with mainly French roots. It is headquartered in Paris and moved into new premises in the city earlier this year. The company develops and markets drugs in seven main areas: diabetes solutions, human vaccines, rare diseases, over the counter medicines, emerging markets and animal health.

Sanofi's global sales reached over EUR 33.3 billion in 2011, a 5.3 percent increase on the previous year.

Ioana Toader, ioana.toader@romania-insider.com