Having 15 years’ experience with the consumer health company in a variety of leadership roles across sales, strategy and marketing in regions including North Asia, Singapore and India, Mr Iyer has a proven track record in delivering significant results, growth and development.

In his most recent role as Marketing Director for North Asia, Mr Iyer successfully led the team through a robust business turnaround, delivering strong financial results while also driving talent growth and development.

“I am thrilled to take on this new role with Haleon Australia and New Zealand leading the marketing of many trusted household brands such as Panadol, Voltaren, Advil, Sensodyne, Centrum and Polident to name but a few,” Mr Iyer said.

“With a strong focus on innovation and people development, I am committed to building on Haleon’s success and delivering sustainable growth for our brands and customers in this exciting region.”

Congratulating Mr Iyer on his appointment, Anish Patel, General Manager, Haleon Australia and New Zealand added that his “global perspective and wealth of experience will be instrumental” to the company’s continued success.

“We know that Australian and New Zealand health consumers are some of the most sophisticated in the world,” Mr Patel said.

“Through our iconic brands, scale and talent, we have the potential to transform the self-care industry in this market and deliver more for consumers and our customers.”

Mr Iyer succeeds Cate Sefton, who has been Marketing Director for Haleon Australia and New Zealand for the past five years and has worked at Haleon for a total of 21 years across two tenures.

Haleon has expressed gratitude for Ms Sefton’s invaluable contributions and wished her success in her future endeavours as she pursues new opportunities.

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The data from the Australian Attitudes to Influenza Index was commissioned by Australian vaccine company CSL Seqirus and shows that 33% of adults say that the flu is only somewhat serious, while 14% say it’s not very, or not at all serious. 

The data also reveals that 46% of Australians would like their GP or pharmacist to discuss flu vaccines with them to help them better understand their options. 

This complacency towards the seriousness of the flu is concerning.

“Underestimating the seriousness of flu may lead to lower vaccination rates and may place a significant burden on the public health system,” says Professor Robert Booy, a leading paediatrician and infectious disease expert. 

“People need to remember that we’ve had some bad flu seasons in Australia, with modelling data from 2010-2019 estimating that we averaged nearly 2800 annual flu-related all-cause deaths, with more than 6400 estimated deaths in 2017 and over 5200 in 2019.

“Last year, we also saw younger populations make up a higher proportion of notifications compared to previous years, so it’s important we have high vaccination rates across all age groups. 

“We’re already seeing higher rates of influenza compared to this time last year. It is almost impossible to predict when the flu season will peak, so it’s important that GPs and pharmacists start talking to patients early about their choices for prevention,” he says. 

The survey asked 1017 people aged 18 years and over about their attitudes to flu.

The results show that 70% trust their healthcare professionals to provide information on the flu, and that GPs and pharmacists are considered the top source of encouragement for vaccination, with 68% of Australian adults who intend to get the influenza vaccine prepared to pay extra if a specific type of vaccine was recommended by their GP or pharmacist.  

“GPs and pharmacists are really helping to increase awareness of flu – however, according to this research, we know that nearly 60% of Australians are still not aware of what flu vaccine options are available to them and that a recommendation from a recognised vaccination provider is one of the strongest predictors of uptake,” says Dr Julianne Bayliss, Medical Director — Vaccines and Biosecurity, ANZ, CSL Seqirus. 

“As the number of lab-confirmed flu cases grows, it’s important to focus on public health efforts to prevent and reduce serious outbreaks.

“Talking with patients about flu prevention, including vaccination, helps to reduce the burden and protect high-risk communities, while also minimising the impact on workplace absenteeism and our healthcare system,” she says. 

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