Johnson & Johnson promotes md

Pharmaceutical and consumer goods company Johnson & Johnson UK, has promoted its managing director Ignacio Larracoechea to the position of area manager for Johnson & Johnson companies in UK, Ireland, France and the Benelux and Scandinavian countries.

Larracoechea, who has been with the company for over five years, will be replaced by Vince Pender, formerly the vice-president, customer development for Europe, Africa and Middle East.

Pender was previously the managing director for Johnson & Johnson in Portugal, until his promotion to vice-president in 1997. He earlier held the position of sales director at SmithKline Beecham.

The company has also announced the promotion of Carl Dempsey, the former customer development director for UK, to take up the role of Pender.

Dempsey will be the new vice-president, customer development, for the European, African and Middle East markets.

The new appointments are not thought to affect any changes within the marketing department.

The product range of the company includes Band-Aid, Neutrogena range, ph5.5 range and its Johnson & Johnson baby range. In 1999, Johnson & Johnson’s consumer segment launched Benecol, a line of products with an ingredient that claims to aid the reduction of cholesterol.

The toiletries and pharmaceutical company uses Lowe Lintas, BMP DDB and McCann-Erickson for its advertising.