A struggling Sanofi is preparing to hire Novartis senior pharma exec Paul Hudson as new CEO, replacing Brandicourt -- report

Sanofi is reportedly ready to hire someone who’s not French to be its next CEO.

Reuters reported Thursday evening that the Paris-based pharma giant will soon name Novartis pharma chief Paul Hudson — a British pharma executive with an international pedigree — to the top post as current CEO Olivier Brandicourt heads off to an early “retirement.”