The executive committee created by Sanofi-Aventis ceo Gerard Le Fur includes just four other directors from the drugmaker, reports APM Europe (subscription may be required), citing an unnamed source. Apparently, a letter was sent to R&D employees by Marc Cluzel, a senior vice chair who oversees R&D, saying the new committee will take care of implementing “strategic moves,” apportioning resources, overseeing overall management.

A Sanofi spokesman confirmed the move to APM, saying this “is a condensed structure, designed to facilitate quick decision making.” This new committee, and a larger general management committee, got its start last month and replaces a larger exec committee.

Besides Le Fur and Cluzel, the others on the committee are Jean-Claude Leroy, executive vice chair for financial and legal; Gilles Lhernould, senior vice chair for industrial affairs, and Hanspeter Spek, executive vice chair for pharma operations.