AstraZeneca US president and CEO Tony Zook will also lead the company’s global marketing efforts beginning next month.Zook will assume the additional role beginning May 1, AstraZeneca spokeswoman Laura King told MM&M. Zook takes over for Martin Nicklasson, currently EVP of global marketing for AstraZeneca and CEO of the company’s Swedish affiliate. Nicklasson has joined Swedish biotech Biovitrum as president and CEO. King told MM&M that Nicklasson’s departure and Zook’s new responsibilities have “absolutely nothing” to do questions raised on industry blogs about the AstraZeneca’s sales and marketing practices or the firing of a sales manager at its Wayne, PA office for comments he made in a company newsletter likening physicians to a “big bucket of money.”Biovitrum announced Nicklasson’s hiring in a news release on April 11. Nicklasson replaces Mats Pettersson, who departs Biovitrum after six years as CEO. Nicklasson will take up his new position on May 14. King added that right now “there is no indication” that Zook’s new role won’t be permanent, however no new title has been determined for him.