Ex-Sanofi chief Viehbacher re-emerges to head Bertarelli health fund

Waypoint Capital, the business enterprise for investments associated with the Bertarelli family, has named Christopher Viehbacher as the managing partner of its US-based Gurnet Point Capital (GPC) fund.

GPC will have an initial allocation of $2billion of capital to invest, with a mandate to lead its global health care investment strategy. Mr Viehbacher has more than 25 years of experience in the health care industry. Most recently, he served as chief executive of Sanofi and chairman of its Genzyme biotech subsidiary. He was ousted from the post last year following an apparent rift between him and Sanofi chairman Serge Weinberg (The Pharma Letter October 29, 2014). Prior to the Sanofi appointment in 2008, Mr Viehbacher was executive director and president, North American Pharmaceuticals, at UK pharma major GlaxoSmithKline. Earlier this year, Mr Viehbacher was appointed to the board of directors of US R&D company PureTech.

Ernesto Bertarelli, the chairman of Waypoint, said: "Chris is an industry leader with significant experience in acquiring companies, business development and licensing. In combination, this makes him the ideal person to lead Gurnet Point Capital and to drive our distinctive value- creating investment approach. Chris’s appointment is another demonstration of our ability to partner with best-in-class individuals.”