Covance Announces Key Executive Promotions and Appointment

Covance Announces Key Executive Promotions and Appointment

PRINCETON, N.J., Nov. 29, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Covance Inc. (NYSE: CVD), a leading provider of drug development services, announces the promotions of Rick Cimino to Executive Vice President and Group President, Clinical Development; Deborah Tanner to Executive Vice President and Group President, R&D Laboratories; and John Watson to Corporate Senior Vice President, President, Strategic Partnering, and Chief Commercial Officer. In addition, Jon Koch was promoted to Corporate Vice President and President, Central Laboratory Services and Lisa Uthgenannt joined Covance as Corporate Vice President of Human Resources. 

"The promotions of Rick Cimino, Deb Tanner, John Watson, and Jon Koch reflect the depth and strength of our leadership talent that enables us to advance executives from within Covance. Lisa Uthgenannt's solid experience in building a talent pipeline and positioning human resources as a strategic business function will allow us to continue to strengthen our leadership bench," said Joe Herring, Covance Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.  "Each of these individuals is a strong, passionate leader with proven ability to work across regions and business units to drive our three core strategies of delivering operational and service excellence, integrating drug development, and building strategic relationships."

Rick Cimino, who has been with Covance for over seven years, will lead Phase I-IV clinical operations.  In addition, he will be responsible for integrated drug development across the company's early- and late-stage service offerings.

Deborah Tanner, a 23-year Covance veteran, will oversee R&D laboratories, which include central laboratory, nonclinical safety assessment, analytical, and discovery and translational service offerings. Jon Koch, formerly Vice President and General Manager, Discovery and Translational Services, will succeed Tanner to lead Central Laboratory Services.

John Watson will oversee all of Covance's commercial activities and strategic collaborations with key biopharmaceutical clients.  Watson has been with Covance for 12 years and has played an integral leadership role in Covance's success in building strategic R&D alliances with global pharmaceutical companies, such as Eli Lilly and most recently, sanofi-aventis.

Lisa Uthgenannt, who will lead Covance's human resources function, was most recently Vice President, Human Resources for J&J's Comprehensive Care Group, providing functional and business leadership human resources strategies for four global operating companies. Uthgenannt also served as Vice President, Human Resources for the J&J Research & Development Pharmaceuticals Group with responsibility across five global pharmaceutical R&D organizations.

Covance, with headquarters in Princeton, New Jersey, is one of the world's largest and most comprehensive drug development services companies with annual revenues greater than $1.8 billion, global operations in more than 30 countries, and more than 10,000 employees worldwide.  Information on Covance's products and services, recent press releases, and SEC filings can be obtained through its website at www.covance.com.

SOURCE Covance Inc.

 

CONTACT: Covance, Media, +1-609-419-2060, Investors, +1-609-452-4807