Sanofi has appointed Suresh Kumar as a new member of the executive committee, effective June 1, 2015. He joins the company from Oliver Wyman and will take the position of executive vice president, external affairs.

In this newly created role, he will be responsible for the strategy and priorities public affairs activities, interactions with governments and international organizations.

“Kumar brings to Sanofi a diversified, international career within the healthcare industry, public sector leadership experience and an understanding of NGOs,” said Olivier Brandicourt, CEO, Sanofi.

He has over 30 years of experience in healthcare beginning in 1978 in India with Johnson and Johnson. At Warner Lambert from 1989 to 1999, he held senior roles in consumer healthcare in Canada, North America, Latin America and Asia. He rejoined Johnson & Johnson in 1999 as a member of the group operating committee and international vice president of the worldwide consumer pharmaceuticals business.

In 2006, he worked with Clinton Foundation as Special Advisor focused on Sub-Saharan Africa. In 2010, the United States Senate unanimously confirmed him as Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General of the US and Foreign Commercial Service where he spearheaded global trade for the Obama administration. Since 2013, Kumar worked as partner with Oliver Wyman leading the firm’s public sector practice and as part of the health and life sciences team.