Bausch & Lomb promotes marketer to pharmo role

Bausch & Lomb, the eye care specialist, has promoted UK marketing director Anthony John to the newly created role of commercial director for pharmaceuticals, as part of a wider restructuring of its core business areas.

John will take responsibility for marketing and sales of Bausch & Lomb’s key pharmaceuticals portfolio, starting with the UK launch of Ocuvite PreserVision, a vitamin and mineral eye care in the form of a dietary supplement. He will report to UK managing director Nick Loan.

John says: “Bausch & Lomb is focused on its pharmaceuticals business, which is seen as the double-digit growth area over the next few years. I’ll be responsible for developing the sector.”

John joined Bausch & Lomb in 1998 when it acquired eye care business Chauvin. Prior to that, John worked for the eye care businesses of Bayer, Novartis, Pharmacia and American Home Products.

John’s marketing responsibilities for other business areas of Bausch & Lomb will be passed on to two new commercial directors.

Andrew Webb will be promoted from European marketing director for Bausch & Lomb’s cataract unit to commercial director, with day-to-day control of marketing and sales for the surgical division. The company is still advertising for Webb’s replacement.

Also as part of the reshuffle, sales director Maxine Green has been promoted to commercial director for vision care, supported by the newly appointed Mike Riley as national sales manager. John Doherty is the UK marketing manager for vision care, who will now report directly to Green.

Bray Leino handles advertising and media buying for Bausch & Lomb. The company has focused on its core eye care business since the sale of the Ray-Ban sunglasses range to Italy’s Luxottica in May 1999.