WOONSOCKET, R.I. — Helena Foulkes has been named executive vice president and chief health care strategy and marketing officer at CVS Caremark Corp., a new post.

In her new role she will unite the company’s capabilities in enterprise branding, communications, community relations, charitable giving, health care reform strategy, government relations and marketing into one integrated function to deliver better business results and stronger partnerships.

“Helena Foulkes is a highly regarded executive who, as chief marketing officer, led the launch of innovative programs such as ExtraCare, Maintenance Choice and Pharmacy Advisor in both our retail and pharmacy benefits management [PBM] businesses,” says CVS Caremark president and chief executive officer Larry Merlo. “That hands-on experience in delivering products and services to consumers and clients gives her the perfect background to allow CVS Caremark to deliver even better business results and strengthen key partnerships to do more to improve health care in the United States.”

Building on her previous role as chief marketing executive of both retail pharmacy and the PBM, Foulkes brings insight from sales and operations into her new position to engage an even broader array of external stakeholders.

“For the past several years CVS Caremark has been an active player in helping to reshape the health care system,” Foulkes says. “As we help consumers and clients adapt to the evolving health care system, it is important for us to bring together all of our capabilities to identify more innovative ways to improve pharmacy care delivery and help customers better manage costs.

“We will be aggressive in building stronger partnerships to maintain and build our leadership position in the industry.”

Foulkes, who joined CVS in 1992, took on a leadership role with the PBM last spring. Reporting to Caremark Pharmacy Ser­vices president Per Lofberg, she led PBM product innovation and marketing, uniting into one team the functions of marketing, member experience, product innovation and development, and product management.

In 2009 she was named CVS Caremark’s executive vice president and chief marketing officer and charged with oversight for enterprise-wide marketing, including retail, PBM, public relations and corporate communications. In 2007 she was named senior vice president of health care services with responsibility for all clinical programs as well as the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit for seniors.