Mr Lehner reports to Marc Cluzel, senior vice president of R&D at Sanofi-Aventis. The chief medical officer will also chair the internal benefit/risk assessment committee created in 2008 and which has direct accountability for its conclusions to the CEO.
Mr Lehner was previously senior vice president of medical and regulatory affairs. Mr Lehner holds a medical degree from the School of Medicine University of Paris, France.
Mr Cluzel said: “The newly created role of chief medical officer is a further demonstration internally and externally of the company’s commitment to patient well being.”