French drugmaker Sanofi has appointed Alan Main to lead its over-the-counter (OTC) activities as part of a newly created consumer health global business unit. The new vice president, who took up the position effective Oct. 1, will also be a member of the company’s executive committee. Scottish-born Main previously worked for Bayer and prior to that Roche Consumer Health, a business acquired by Bayer in 2004, along with several other consumer drug businesses.

At Sanofi, he will have responsibility for building the consumer franchise as the French player absorbs the relevant Boehringer Ingelheim portfolio in the impending asset swap for its own animal health business. This deal is set to close at the end of 2016. With the asset swap, Sanofi said it will come close to meeting one of the key strategic goals of its roadmap 2020, to become a leader in consumer healthcare and a leading diversified global human healthcare company.