Ismail Kola joins UCB as Executive Vice President, UCB & President of UCB New Medicines
Brussels, Belgium, 10 November 2009 at 8:30 am CET - UCB today announced the appointment of Ismail Kola, Executive Vice President, UCB & President of UCB New Medicines(TM),UCB's discovery research through to 'proof of concept' organization. Ismail Kola will join UCB's Executive Committee with effect from November 23, 2009.
Roch Doliveux, Chief Executive Officer of UCB said, "We are pleased to announce Ismail's appointment to lead our internal and external discovery of new medicines to treat patients with severe diseases. UCB is gaining a highly accomplished scientist with a track record of success in academia and the biopharma field. I am confident that Ismail will make major leaps to the development of UCB NewMedicines(TM). His strong research and development background in combination with solid commercial understanding will move UCB NewMedicines(TM) beyond its current achievements to deliver UCB's breaktrough phase.''
For more then 20 years, Ismail Kola has created a bridge between the scientific and academic worlds trough various projects funded by renowned institutes such as the NHMRC (National Health & Medical Research Council) Australia, the National Institutes of Health, USA and Monash University in Australia. He has authored 159 technical publications in scientific and medical journals of the highest caliber, and is a named inventor on 12 patents. Under his leadership numerous drugs have come to the market and many are now in late-stage development.
Since March 2007, Dr. Kola has occupied the role of Senior Vice-President, Discovery Research and Early Clinical Research & Experimental Medicine, and Chief Scientific Officer at Schering-Plough. He came to Schering Plough from Merck where in January 2003 he was appointed Senior Vice President/Site Head, Basic Research. Prior to that, Ismail was Vice President, Research, and Global Head, Genomics Science and Biotechnology with Pharmacia Corporation, and served as a consultant to SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals where he was also a member of the Genomics Advisory Board.
As of 23 November 2009, UCB's Executive Committee, chaired by Roch Doliveux, CEO, will have the following members, all of whom are Executive Vice Presidents: Michele Antonelli, Fabrice Enderlin, Ismail Kola, Iris Loew-Friedrich, Mark McDade, Detlef Thielgen and Bob Trainor.
For further information
Nancy Nackaerts, External Communications, UCB
T +32.473.864.414, [email protected]
About NewMedicines(TM)
Encompassing discovery research activities through to proof of concept, UCB NewMedicines(TM) is an innovative and externally networked organisation established to secure the future pipeline and deliver UCB's breakthrough products of the future.
A disseminated research organisation will maximise UCB's investment in scientific and medical breakthroughs via a highly collaborative approach to forming teams and projects to create new medicines. Based on a 'hub' model of operation, UCB NewMedicines(TM) is located on two key sites at Braine-l'Alleud, Belgium and Slough, UK. Operations at these hubs focus on the therapeutic areas of CNS (Central Nervous System) and Immunology with strong technology platforms underpinning the research. The organisation houses leaders and experts who possess the highest level skills to search, review, decide and transact on all aspects of the portfolio in all functions.
Internal resources differentiate UCB whilst external resources are accessed for routine activities or to provide specialist complementary skills and capabilities. The organisation fully embraces external networking to support our focus on the pipeline delivery and breakthrough science. Medics and patients inform choices from the outset of projects.
About UCB
UCB, Brussels, Belgium (www.ucb.com) is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the research, development and commercialization of innovative medicines with a focus on the fields of central nervous system and immunology disorders. Employing approximately 10 000 people in over 40 countries, UCB generated revenue of 3.6 billion euro in 2008. UCB is listed on Euronext Brussels (symbol: UCB).
Forward looking statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements based on current plans, estimates and beliefs of management. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to be materially different from those that may be implied by such forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Important factors that could result in such differences include: changes in general economic, business and competitive conditions, effects of future judicial decisions, changes in regulation, exchange rate fluctuations and hiring and retention of its employees.
For the pdf-version of this press release, please click on the link below: