Pan-European animal health business, Animalcare Group, has appointed Jenny Winter (pictured) as chief executive to succeed Chris Cardon from 1 October.

Cardon will remain on the board as part of the executive management team, becoming chief strategy officer responsible for leading the company’s international strategic vision and acquisition strategy.

Winter has more than 20 years’ big pharma experience in various senior commercial roles for AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline. Since 2015 she has been vice-president of respiratory products – global supply chain and strategy at AstraZeneca.

Her other roles at the company have included vice-president cardiology – global product and portfolio strategy; commercial director – Eastern Europe; marketing company president – Hungary, where she led a major change programme; and global vice-president, group public affairs..

Last year, Animalcare took over Belgium-headquartered Ecuphar, a larger firm based in Europe, in a reverse takeover, with Ecuphar founder and head  Cardon becoming chief executive of the new group.

Animalcare Group chairman Jan Boone said: “We are excited to welcome Jenny Winter, whose strong and varied international experience make her ideally placed to continue to realise the full benefits of the recent reverse merger and continue to implement our clear strategy for growth in the attractive animal health market.

“The board would like to thank Chris for his significant achievements as chief executive, overseeing the transformational merger with Ecuphar and the transition of Animalcare to an international animal health business. His extensive experience will continue to be invaluable to the company in his new role and will be vital in the company’s plans for growth.”

Cardon said: “I am proud to have led Animalcare through a very significant period of development for the business. I am pleased to hand over the reins of the company to Jenny to allow me to focus on the strategic vision for the business and I am confident that she is the right candidate to lead Animalcare in its next stage of its growth and development.”