Barcelona to be Spain HQ for Sanofi-Aventis

Newly-merged drugs group Sanofi-Aventis is to establish its Spanish headquarters in Barcelona and centralize distribution in Madrid, the company's communications director, Gloria Pujol, has told the Marketletter. Ms Pujol confirmed that both Madrid and Barcelona had competed for the spot but that group executives decided the slightly bigger Catalan office was better suited for the role.

"Sanofi-Synthelabo has been in Barcelona for over 20 years and has more visibility here than in Madrid," she said, adding that it is the only other large foreign multinational in the Catalonia region, apart from Novartis. The Catalan government's support for the initiative also convinced Sanofi-Aventis to settle its Spanish executive board in Barcelona. The board will be led by Aventis director general Belen Garijo; Sanofi chief Jacques Cessot is to take a "major" management post at the group in France.

Now 2nd-largest drugmaker in Spain