AstraZeneca UK's president Lisa Anson is to take over the reigns of President of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry.

Anson, who holds a MBA with distinction from INSEAD in France and a First Class degree in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University, has held a variety of senior management roles at AZ in both the US and the UK, following stints at an American healthcare firm and consultancy KPMG.

She joined the ABPI Board in January 2012, and has been engaged in a number of capacities since, leading on a number of key commercial projects such as implementing the UK's Pharmaceutical Pricing Regulation Scheme (PPRS), which caps the total spend of branded medicines for the NHS.

Lisa will take over from current president John Kearney, General Manager at Amgen, from the end of April, and her time in the position will be very much focused on representing ABPI members during Brexit, and working with government to develop "a life-science strategy which puts the industry as a key strategic partner in the government's future economic plans", the Agency notes.

"During my term as president, our industry will face crucial issues including the UK's departure from the European Union, ensuring biopharmaceuticals are central to the UK industrial strategy and leveraging a golden period of innovation in new medicines to ensure UK patients benefit," Anson noted. "The ABPI is at the frontline of protecting and nurturing our relationship with government and the NHS, which will be vital to navigate these important issues."

"The unanimous decision by the ABPI Board to elect Lisa Anson as President shows the esteem in which she is held," said ABPI chief executive, Mike Thompson. "As a high profile president of AstraZeneca UK and Ireland her knowledge and experience will be valuable as we head into what is arguably the UK pharmaceutical industry's most challenging era to date."