Pfizer has today announced the appointment of Kevin Francis as Cluster Lead, sub-Saharan Africa and Country Manager, South Africa effective 13 July 2022. He will replace Rhulani Nhlaniki, who has taken up a new role as the Vaccines Lead for the United Kingdom.

In his new role, Kevin will oversee the Pfizer business in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and prepare the market for new launches, while managing the P&L and assuming revenue responsibility for the entire business.

Commenting on his appointment Mr Francis said: “I am excited to be rejoining Pfizer and honoured to have been picked to lead the business across Sub-Saharan Africa. I look forward to playing my part in delivering breakthroughs that change patients’ lives to the people of South Africa and the SSA cluster as a whole.”

Kevin’s experience spans more than 20 years in the pharmaceutical and related industries, most recently as Head of Healthcare at HolGoun Investment Holdings, a position he held for 12 years. 

“This next phase in my career is a continuation of my journey in the pharmaceutical industry. I intend to further strengthen Pfizer’s position in sub-Saharan Africa and maintain the strong partnerships that have been forged with our stakeholders over the years.” 

Prior to this, he held various senior executive positions in sales, marketing and business development at various pharmaceutical companies including Pfizer, Sanofi and AbbVie. 

During his time at Pfizer between 1993 and 2003, some of his notable achievements included being elected to the company’s Legal Advisory Group which was responsible for aligning the organization with amendments to the Medicines and Related Substances Act, 1965; leading the post-merger integration team that successfully adapted the global performance management model to local needs; and being a key member of the team to formulate the ‘Millennial Vision & Mission’ for the business.

More recently, Kevin’s key successes include the launching of a premium range of 16 first-to-market products and expanding their leadership position in the top three therapeutic categories. Under his leadership, he elevated his previous employer’s ranking from ninth to fifth in the market by growing revenue twice as fast as the market. 

In addition, he led multiple efforts to secure reimbursement for novel medical devices and biopharmaceuticals, as well as significantly expanding managed healthcare access in the South African market.