Pearson will replace chairman Moreno with US veteran Sidney Taurel

Pearson has appointed drug industry veteran Sidney Taurel to replace outgoing chairman Glen Moreno in January.

Former chief executive of pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly, Taurel will take the chair on New Year's day as Moreno, who this month marked ten years on the group's board of directors, steps down.

Taurel has sat on the board as chairman of the compensation committee at both IBM Corporation and McGraw Hill Financial in the US and is currently a senior advisor at global investment bank Moelis & Co and an advisory board member at pharmaceutical firms Takeda Pharmaceutical of Japan and Barcelona-based Almirall.

He was chief executive officer of Eli Lilly for a decade up until 2008 and chairman of the business for most of that period, given the role of chairman emeritus since 2009.

Taurel's strong experience of global business and complex regulatory environments was key to his appointment, Moreno said, as well as his being aligned to Pearson's values and culture, while chief executive John Fallon highlighted his having led a large, complex business through a period of great change.

Said Taurel: "This is an important time to be joining the world's leading education company. Pearson has a great purpose at its heart - to help more people progress in their lives through learning.

"I am looking forward to helping the Pearson management team develop our strategy and deliver long-term value for our students, customers and our shareholders."