Sanofi: Dr. Jean-Christophe Rufin
French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi has appointed Dr. Jean-Christophe Rufin – a pioneer of Médecins Sans Frontières - as President of the Sanofi Espoir Corporate Foundation.
The foundation's mission is to help reduce health inequalities among the world’s most vulnerable populations, and Sanofi says Rufin’s previous roles across both medicine and international relations give him the right experience for the job.
The French doctor, diplomat, and writer was a pioneer of Médecins Sans Frontières, of which he was vice-president (1991-1993), and President of Action contre la Faim.
His previous positions also include adviser to the Secretary of State for Human Rights (1986-1988), the cultural and cooperation attaché in Brazil (1989-1990), and advisor in charge of peacekeeping operations for the Minister of Defense (1993-1995). From 2007-2010 he was French Ambassador to Senegal and the Gambia.
An Officer of the Legion of Honor, Rufin is Doctor honoris causa of Laval University (Canada) and the Catholic University of Louvain (Belgium), and a member of the Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium and the Brazilian Academy of Letters. Rufin has also written a series of novels and narratives that reflect his international experience; and he was awarded France’s Goncourt prize in 2001 for Brazil Red.
He was elected to the Académie française in 2008.
Jean-Christophe Rufin succeeds Xavier Darcos, who presided over the Foundation since 2015.
Pic credit: Francesca Mantovani-Gallimard
