New executive at PhRMA

Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), the industry's main US trade group, has confirmed former IBM executive Rod Hunter as the organisation's new senior vice president of international advocacy, effective June 10.

Hunter will be responsible for leading and overseeing PhRMA's international advocacy functions, reporting to executive vice president of advocacy Chip Davis.

At IBM, Hunter served as vice president, governmental programmes, Europe. Earlier in his career, he served as special assistant to the president and senior director of the White House's National Security Council under President George W Bush, coordinating the administration's international economic agenda, including trade, intellectual property, investment, energy and environmental policies.

"With his broad international trade experience in both the private and public sectors, Rod brings to bear a keen understanding of the complex policies and market dynamics inherent to an increasingly global economy," Davis said in a statement.