Nestlé, the world's biggest food group, is creating a new unit to focus on healthcare nutrition.
Luis Cantarell will head the unit aimed at targeting new opportunities between food and pharma from the start of next year.
Nestlé said as a result of this Chris Johnson would join the Nestlé executive board, taking up the role of executive vice president in charge of Zone Americas.
Nestlé also said Nandu Nandkishore would become deputy executive vice president in charge of Nestlé Nutrition.
The maker of Nescafé coffee, KitKat chocolate bars and Maggi soup, has been pushing a drive into the high-margin area of healthy eating as consumers become increasingly aware of the health benefits of eating properly.
Nestlé Health Science will become operational from January 1st, 2011 as a wholly-owned subsidiary and will be run at arm's length from Nestlé's main food, beverages and nutrition activities, the group said on Monday, adding it will incorporate its HealthCare Nutrition unit.
The HealthCare Nutrition unit had a turnover of 1.6 billion Swiss francs (€1.2 billion) in 2009, while Nestlé as a group has annual sales of over 100 billion francs.
Reuters