Ali Besri appointed president of Pfizer in Saudi Arabia.
After over 23 years at Pfizer, Ali Besri is taking a significant new step in his professional journey. The Moroccan executive has now assumed leadership of the pharmaceutical group’s operations in Saudi Arabia as Country President, succeeding Dr. Mohamed Fawzy.
This appointment follows several years dedicated to emerging markets and issues related to access to medicines and vaccines.
### More than Two Decades at Pfizer
Ali Besri has built the vast majority of his career at Pfizer, having joined the company over 23 years ago. His career path has led him to hold various positions across several emerging markets, with a particular focus on healthcare access and partnerships within the pharmaceutical sector.
Prior to his appointment in Saudi Arabia, he served as Vice President, Emerging Markets Access and Accord Lead.
In this role, he was responsible for initiatives aimed at improving access to medicines and vaccines in emerging markets. He also oversaw the partnerships developed by Pfizer around these critical issues.
### A Journey Through Morocco
Pfizer Saudi Arabia’s new leader is also well-acquainted with the Moroccan market. Before taking on his international responsibilities, Ali Besri headed Pfizer’s operations in Morocco and then took charge of the North Africa cluster.
This experience allowed him to work directly with Moroccan health authorities as well as various stakeholders in the healthcare sector.
His time in Morocco was particularly associated with discussions surrounding access to treatments and vaccines, a domain that has constituted one of the main focus areas of his career within the pharmaceutical group.
### Leading Pfizer’s Operations in Saudi Arabia
In Riyadh, Ali Besri will now be responsible for Pfizer’s activities in the Saudi market, as well as the group’s relationships with the various stakeholders in the Kingdom’s healthcare system.
His appointment comes amid a transformation of the healthcare sector in Saudi Arabia, under the reforms initiated as part of Saudi Vision 2030.
The country is particularly seeking to enhance its healthcare system, increase investments in the pharmaceutical sector, and boost the engagement of the private sector.
For Ali Besri, this new role extends his commitment to emerging markets and health product access issues while placing him at the helm of a strategic market for Pfizer in the Middle East.
