International Pharmaceuticals Plc appoints new CEO

The Board of Directors of Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals Plc has announced the appointment of Matthew Obi Azoji as Managing Director and CEO of the company.

He will assume duty on February 1, 2019, while the appointment will be ratified at the forthcoming annual general meeting, the company said in a statement.

Azoji graduated from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, where he obtained his B. Pharm (First Class Honours). He went on to obtain an MBA (Marketing) from the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu, and an Advanced Management Programme (AMP) from the Lagos Business School; Pan Atlantic University, Lagos.

He obtained certificates in Pharmaceutical Policy & Pharmacoeconomics from Utrecht University in the Netherlands (a WHO Collaborating centre), and went on to get his M.Sc. in Public health from the University of London, International Programmes. He obtained his M.Phil (Pharmacy Administration) from Obafemi Awolowo University, lle-Ife. Presently, a PhD (Clinical Pharmacy & Pharmacy Practice) from the University of Jos, Jos Plateau State is in view.

Pharm. Azoji is Fellow, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (FPSN) and Fellow, West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists (FPCPHARM). He is a Member, International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), Founding Member, Health Systems Action Network (HSAN), Member, Nigerian Institute of Management (MNIM), Member, National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria and Member, Nigerian Association of Industrial Pharmacists.

He began his professional career as a Hospital Pharmacist at General Hospital Saminaka, Kaduna State in 1986 serving our country during his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) year. Prior to this, he had a one year internship programme at Obafemi Awolowo University, lle-Ife as a Demonstrator/Internee. He had a brief stint with Astra-Arewa Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Kaduna as a Medical Representative based in Kano. He joined May & Baker Nigeria Plc in 1988, and served there till 2004, during which time he rose from the position of Medical Representative to occupy the positions of Asst. Manager – Ethical Product Sales, Area Manager – North, Sales & Market Development Manager, Regional Sales Manager – Lagos/South West, Business Manager – Healthcare, Business Manager – Consumer and Head, Corporate Planning & Development. He was the pioneer MD/CEO, CHAN Medi-Pharm Ltd/GE, jos, Plateau state from 2004 to September 2018.

Azoji currently leads the executive and management teams of Biovaccines Nigeria Ltd, a public-private partnership company between the Federal Government of Nigeria and May & Baker Nigeria Plc.