In 2014, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Novartis announced a major three-stage transaction that would see the UK-listed company swap its oncology business for the Swiss pharma giant’s vaccines division while entering into a consumer healthcare joint venture. Since that deal began in 2015, the GSK Consumer Healthcare team has been closely involved in the legal and operational aspects of integrating two distinct legacy cultures together under a single business unit to form the leading over-the-counter medicines company in the world. Led by Sean Roberts, a global team of 50 lawyers oversees GSK Consumer Healthcare’s operations and is, says Allen & Overy partner Matthew Appleton, among the best in the sector.

‘The legal team continues to deal with the fastchanging business in a rapidly evolving sector. They have worked to develop an innovative structure – the consumer health joint venture – which has been a great success reflecting the legal team’s hard work.’ A number of figures within the team were singled out for praise, including Neil Laventure. Described as ‘a real talent’ by Ed Barnett of Latham & Watkins and ‘a FTSE GC in the making’ by Appleton, Laventure returned to the UK in 2017 following a three-year spell in GSK’s Singapore office to take up the position as general counsel (GC) for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and legal head of global categories and R&D. Rebecca Danby, assistant GC for global R&D and Northern Europe, and Peter Currie, who heads GSK Consumer Healthcare’s oral and skin health global categories and digital, were also cited as rising stars within the team. Away from transactional work, the legal team has been at the forefront of training initiatives within the business. As Laventure comments: ‘Upskilling digital capabilities is one of the key areas we have identified to help grow the business. We have developed a digital academy for our lawyers – part of a much broader training programme – and looked at ways we can improve awareness of digital issues across the business. Online advertising, e-commerce, the launch of digital medical devices and the use of large data sets to improve the patient experience will become core to most healthcare businesses over time. We see the legal team’s role as helping the business to reach its digital goals.’ This, adds Brian Sher, a competition partner with CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang, has helped distinguish the legal team from others within the sector. ‘If you’re looking for an outstanding team, you want to see a group of lawyers who each take it upon themselves to drive the business forward and think about the issues that will become critical to business two years down the line. The GSK Consumer Healthcare team is very well advanced in this regard and should be recognised as one of the leaders in the market.’