Stallergenes Greer has poached an IT exec from Pfizer ($PFE) spinoff Zoetis as it looks to bounce back from a botched tech implementation that forced the temporary shutdown of a production plant. The new hire, Daniel Smith, has taken up the post of global head of information technology at the firm.
London-based Stallergenes Greer has moved quickly to make the appointment, adding Smith to its ranks around four months after French regulators flagged up problems with the implementation of a new IT system at a facility in Antony, France.
The regulatory red flag prompted Stallergenes Greer to halt production at the plant and recall all products that had rolled off the manufacturing line since August 13, the month in which the new IT system went live. Smith is tasked with ensuring future IT initiatives are less disruptive.
“He will play a vital role in overseeing large scale implementations and upgrades across the business, such as the continuation of the [enterprise resource planning] rollout, while standardizing technology globally,” Stallergenes Greer CEO Fereydoun Firouz said in a statement. “Daniel will be responsible for developing a long-term strategic IT plan, ensuring the implementation of a best-in-class and consistent IT framework for our commercial, manufacturing and quality functions.” The new hire handled similar tasks at Zoetis, a major manufacturer of animal health products.
Smith joins an organization that has already gone some way to bouncing back from the setback. The Antony plant began production of several products on February 1, before gaining a regulatory ok to resume full activities last month.
The regulatory nod cleared Stallergenes Greer to restart production of its sublingual immunotherapy drops Staloral, the shortage of which was seized on by ALK-Abelló through a ramping up of output of a competitive product. ALK-Abelló has enjoyed an uptick in sales on the back of Stallergenes Greer’s misstep.
- read the statement