Novartis marketer takes up worldwide position

Novartis Consumer Health marketing director Nick Evans has been promoted to a global marketing role at the company’s headquarters in Switzerland.

Evans takes the post of head of global brand for nasal decongestant Otrivin, which is the global market leader in this category. It is understood that, following Evans’ departure his role will be axed and merged into the sales department, although a final decision has yet to be taken.

Evans joined Novartis in 2001 from United Biscuits, where he was in charge of marketing for the company’s savoury biscuit brands. Before that, he was marketing director for Boots skincare but left after his post was scrapped in a restructure.

Novartis’ brands include Ex-Lax, Nicotinell and Savlon. It sold its hot drink brands, Ovaltine and Options, to Associated British Foods (ABF) for £171m at the end of last year. As a result, UK marketing manager for the brands Paul Simpson moved to ABF-owned Twinings to continue working on the brands. Novartis is now focusing solely on the pharmaceutical market and is trying to sell its sports drink brand, Isostar.

Speculation has been growing that Novartis is set to acquire Swiss rival Roche. Novartis already owns 21.3 per cent of the company.