LONDON, Sept 29 (Reuters) - GlaxoSmithKline haspromoted a former Novartis executive to lead itsconsumer healthcare business, following the appointment lastweek of the unit's previous head, Emma Walmsley, as CEOdesignate of the drugmaker.
The British group said on Thursday that Brian McNamara, 50,who currently heads up Europe and the Americas at GSK ConsumerHealthcare, would take on his new role immediately and joinGSK's corporate executive team.
McNamara worked for 11 years at Novartis, where he was alsoin charge of consumer health, and joined GSK following thecreation of a joint venture between the two companies in 2015.Prior to that he spent 16 years at Procter & Gamble.
The swift management transition will ensure the consumerbusiness remains focused on improving financial performance andwill allow Walmsley to focus on her new role as incoming CEO, aspokesman said.
She will officially take the helm at the end of March on theretirement of current CEO Andrew Witty, becoming the first womanto lead a top global drugmaker.
Separately, GSK said it had disposed of the final portion ofits stake in Aspen Pharmacare, Africa's biggest genericdrugmaker, after seven years as an investor in the company. Itsgross proceeds from the sale of the remaining 6.2 percentholding were 477 million pounds ($621 million).
($1 = 0.7680 pounds) (Reporting by Ben Hirschler; Editing by Adrian Croft)