Claude Bertrand quits post with Ipsen for pastures new

French pharma company Ipsen (Euronext: IPN) today announced that Claude Bertrand, executive vice president, R&D, chief scientific officer, will depart Ipsen on January, 2017, to join another company, which was not named.

Pending Dr Bertrand’s replacement, Alexandre Lebeaut will lead the R&D division in the interim. Dr Lebeaut, senior vice president, global drug development, joined Ipsen in 2012, managerial experience after having spent more than 20 years in large pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, with extensive international experience in Italy, France and mostly North America.

Commenting on the news, Ipsen chief executive David Meek said: “On behalf of the company, I would like to thank Dr Bertrand for his significant contribution to leading the R&D organization during the past seven years. We wish him well as he moves on to pursue a new opportunity. We are fortunate to have an experienced and successful R&D leader like Dr Lebeaut to step up and lead the R&D team.”