STADA UK strengthens leadership team with three senior hires and Reading commercial HQ

04/06/2026

STADA UK is investing a seven-figure sum in an expanded, state-of-the-art commercial office in Green Park, Reading, as it advances its ambition of establishing the business as a British consumer healthcare and pharmaceutical powerhouse.

And the company has announced the appointment of three senior leadership hires to be based at the site, following last year’s appointment of ex-Scholl CEO Craig Shaw as UK General Manager.

Laure de Brauer joins as VP of marketing for STADA UK’s consumer healthcare offering, and Dr. Mark Watt will head up STADA UK’s Regulatory, Medical, Clinical Affairs & Pharmacovigilance division. Furthermore, Emma Sharpe has taken up the role of senior legal director.

Commercial teams will from July 2026 be based in the new Reading office, which will feature high-tech collaboration spaces, a content studio and contemporary British design notes. Around 50 colleagues in consumer healthcare will be based here, with recruitment underway as the company aims to secure top talent in the region.

Craig Shaw, general manager at STADA UK, said: “The appointments of Emma, Laure and Mark send a strong signal about our ambition for STADA UK and the journey we are on.

“We are investing deliberately in top tier leadership and best‑in‑class capabilities to help us grow faster than the market across Consumer Healthcare, Generics and Specialty Pharmaceuticals.

“By strengthening our leadership and bringing deep expertise into key roles, we are building a stronger, more agile UK organisation - one with the scale, capability and momentum to take us into our next phase of growth. Ultimately, this positions us even better to serve patients, customers and partners across the UK as a trusted healthcare partner.”

The new hires sees STADA further strengthen its management team in UK pharma and consumer healthcare leadership

Laure de Brauer brings over 20 years of experience in the self-care sector to her role and will be tasked with strengthening and expanding STADA’s UK consumer healthcare business, driving its strategic objective to grow stronger than the market in all key categories. Laure previously held leadership roles at major pharmaceutical companies including Perrigo and Reckitt Benckiser.
Dr. Mark Watt will oversee the newly created RAMACA department, created to drive excellence across regulatory submissions, medical affairs, pharmacovigilance and clinical affairs, ensuring alignment with global standards and strengthening STADA’s capabilities. Mark brings over 25 years of experience in senior medical leadership, regulatory strategy and clinical development, having held leadership roles with Johnson & Johnson Consumer Health (now Kenvue) and Amgen, and scientific roles at Pfizer and Eli Lilly.
Emma Sharpe brings over 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and consulting sectors, working across the UK and international markets in director-level roles for the likes of Mintel, Takeda and Reckitt Benckiser. Her deep expertise in legal strategy, compliance governance and commercial partnering across prescription pharmaceuticals, consumer healthcare and FMCG will be instrumental in STADA’s growth as a trusted partner.

STADA UK is located across three key sites:

In Huddersfield, the Thornton & Ross factory manufactures household brands like Zoflora, Nizoral, Covonia, Cetraben and Savlon, supported by supply-chain and operational functions.
Preston is the home of Natures Aid, a developer and manufacturer of award-winning nutritional supplements, vitamins and herbal products, such as Bluey kids multivitamins.
The Reading office will house STADA’s UK commercial and customer-facing teams, realising synergies across Consumer Healthcare, Generics and Specialty Pharmaceuticals. The site remains the base for Britannia Pharmaceuticals which focuses on innovative, patient‑centric technologies to improve how therapies are delivered and to support quality of life with conditions including Parkinson’s and schizophrenia.

With close to 12,000 employees worldwide and record 2025 revenues of €4.3 billion, STADA continues to strengthen its position as a leading, diversified global healthcare company, with the UK playing a key role in delivering future growth.

Speaking of her new role, Laure de Brauer, said: “After nearly 20 years across FMCG and pharma, I’ve often found myself competing against STADA brands and always admired their strength, agility and innovation.

“I’m genuinely excited to now be part of this journey, joining a talented team and a portfolio of loved brands. I look forward to building on this strong foundation - bringing fresh thinking and accelerating our next phase of growth together.”