(Sharecast News) - Consumer healthcare company Alliance Pharma has appointed Camillo Pane to the role of chairman to "lead the company through its next strategic phase", focusing on organic growth through marketing and innovation.

Alliance Pharma said on Monday that Pane will take over as chairman on 19 February following a handover period from outgoing chair Jo LeCouilliard.

The AIM-listed group highlighted that Panillo has over thirty years' of experience in US, European, and Asian public, multinational consumer companies. During his career, Pane has held a number of senior positions at Reckitt Benckiser, where he spent almost 20 years across both global and regional roles. Most recently, he was group CEO of Health & Happiness Group, a global health and nutrition company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange with revenues of around $2.0bn.

Senior independent director Richard Jones said: "On behalf of the Alliance Board and the company I would like to thank Jo for her significant contribution to Alliance over the past five years and wish her well for the future. We look forward to Camillo joining the board as chair and harnessing his wide-ranging consumer healthcare experience to further enhance and develop our group strategy. In the meantime, the board remains focused on creating value for our shareholders by investing in growth whilst carefully managing our cost base."

As of 0905 GMT, Alliance Pharma shares were up 2.30% at 40.05p.

Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com