Mike Ball.

BASEL, Switzerland—With sagging sales in its Alcon division, Novartis (NYSE: NVS) announced this morning that it has named a new CEO and is implementing a plan to strengthen the under-performing vision care business.

In fourth quarter 2015 financial results, released this morning, the pharma giant said that Mike Ball has been named as division head and CEO of Alcon, effective Feb. 1, 2016. Ball will be a member of the executive committee of Novartis. He joins Novartis from Hospira, where he was CEO from 2011 until recently. Prior to Hospira, he spent five years as president of Allergan, where he held a series of leadership positions over 16 years with the company. Ball succeeds Jeff George, who has decided to leave Novartis.

Novartis posted $12.5 billion in net sales in the fourth quarter 2015, a 4 percent decrease over year ago, but up 4 percent taking into account constant currency rates.

Alcon’s net sales were $2.3 billion for the quarter, a 13 percent drop or 6 percent constant currency in the fourth quarter. Operating income was $132 million, down 64 percent from year ago, a drop of 36 percent on a constant currency basis.

As part of its fourth quarter and year-end financial results, Novartis said, “We are strengthening our ophthalmic medicines business by transferring Alcon's pharmaceutical products (sales of $3.8 billion in 2015) to the pharmaceuticals division, creating the world's leading ophthalmology business with approximately $6 billion in sales. This will simplify our ophthalmic medicines business, leverage Alcon's strong brand with pharmaceuticals development and marketing capabilities, and help us accelerate innovation and growth in eyecare.”

Novartis said it has identified key actions to accelerate Alcon’s growth in 2016 and beyond, including optimizing IOL innovation and commercial execution, prioritizing and investing in promising pipeline opportunities, ensuring best-in-class service, training and education for eyecare professionals, improving sales force effectiveness and investing in key brands.