Basel, Switzerland - April 9, 2014, Basel, Switzerland - Novartis International AG, a pharmaceutical company, announced the appointment of Jeff George as division head of Alcon, effective May 1, 2014.
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As Division Head of Alcon, Mr. George will continue to serve as a member of the Executive Committee of Novartis (ECN). Prior to assuming his current position, Mr. George was Head of Emerging Markets for the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia and the CIS countries for Novartis Pharma. He joined Novartis in January 2007 as Head of Western & Eastern Europe for Novartis Vaccines, where he was responsible for 25 markets from the UK to Russia.
Before joining Novartis, he was Senior Director of Strategic Planning and Business Development at Gap Inc. Prior to this, he was an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company and has also worked in emerging markets private equity in South Africa and the US.
Mr. George holds an MBA from Harvard University and a Masters from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). He also holds a BA in international relations from Carleton College.
He succeeds Kevin Buehler who is retiring from the company after a distinguished 30-year career at Alcon, an eye care company.
Mr. Buehler has been Division Head, Alcon, since April 2011. He is a member of the Executive Committee of Novartis. Mr. Buehler was president and chief executive officer of Alcon Inc.
from 2009 to 2011. He began his career with Alcon in 1984 as a regional sales manager in the Consumer Products Division, and held positions of increasing responsibility before being named
director of sales and marketing.
In 1996, he became director of Alcon’s US Managed Care and Falcon Generic Pharmaceutical
groups, and became vice president in 1998. The following year he returned to the US Consumer Products Division as vice president and general manager.
Mr. Buehler moved to the International Division in 2002 as vice president and regional manager, Latin America and Caribbean. He was later named area vice president, Latin America, Canada, Australia and Far East. Mr. Buehler also served as senior vice president, global markets and as chief marketing officer. Prior to joining Alcon, he worked for The Gillette Co. and Snyder Drug Stores, both in the United States.
Mr. Buehler holds a bachelor’s degree from Carroll University in Waukesha, Wisconsin, in the United States, with concentrations in business administration and political science. He completed the Harvard Program for Management Development in 1993.
Richard Francis, a proven pharmaceuticals and biotechnology leader, has been appointed as new Division Head of Sandoz, succeeding Mr. George.
Mr. Francis joins Novartis from Biogen Idec, where he has held roles of increasing responsibility across several therapeutic areas in both Europe and the United States over his 13-year career with the company. As Division Head of Sandoz, Mr. Francis will become a member of the Executive Committee of Novartis (ECN). He most recently served as Biogen Idec's Senior Vice President, US Commercial Operations. ■