(Sharecast News) - Life sciences business OptiBiotix Health announced the appointment of Mikkel Hvid-Hansen as the European sales leader of its wholly-owned subsidiary ProBiotix Health.
The AIM-traded firm said Hvid-Hansen was joining ProBiotix from a position as international sales manager from Cell Biotech, which is a Korean probiotic company selling bulk ingredients and finished products internationally.
Prior to joining Cell Biotech, he spent six years as international sales manager at Bifodan, where he had responsibility for the sales of several probiotic over-the-counter drugs.
Previously, Hvid-Hansen also worked for Lallemand, the world's third-largest probiotic company, between 1998 and 2006, and Eraco between 1995 and 1998.
OptiBiotix said Hvid-Hansen would bring "extensive experience" of commercialising probiotics products and technologies, a wide network of industry contacts, and a strong track record of rapidly growing sales.
He would be based in Denmark to support existing sales in Europe, and extend the market opportunities for its 'LPLDL' within the European probiotic supplement, food, and dairy markets.
"Mikkel's experience and track record of launching new products and growing sales within Europe brings over 20 years of commercial and probiotic industry expertise to OptiBiotix's wholly owned probiotic subsidiary, ProBiotix Health," said ProBiotix chief executive officer Steve Prescott.
"His network of contacts provides access to key customers which we hope will continue to drive revenue growth of LPLDL in supplement, food and pharmaceutical products around the world.
"We are delighted that Mikkel has joined ProBiotix Health at such an exciting stage of its development transforming the company from research and development to commercial sales focussed."
At 1454 GMT, shares in OptiBiotix Health were down 0.6% at 49.7p.