OBN Announces Changes to Board of Directors
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OBN has announced changes to the OBN Board of Directors.
Dr Steven Lee is reluctantly standing down as Chairman and his place will be taken by David Laskow-Pooley.
Congratulating David on his appointment Steven said that “after 6 years as Chairman and with my business interests becoming increasingly focused on China, as CEO of Concepta the time is right for a change. I wish David well in his new role.”
Dr Lee will remain on the Board of OBN as a Non-Executive Director.
David Laskow-Pooley is the CEO of LondonPharma a drug delivery company developing registered compounds delivered sublingually.
David brings more than 35 years experience and expertise in pharmaceuticals. Working within major companies as well as emerging enterprises, including GSK, Abbott, Amersham and OSI Pharmaceuticals, David has held senior posts in Development, Operations and General Management, launching products for use in cardiovascular (Hytrin), cancer (Tarceva, Rapid Strand) and anti-infective (Clarithromycin) disorders and diseases and has created franchises (spin-outs and start-ups) throughout his career.
Joining David, in the role of Deputy Chairman is Stewart Sharpe, Vice President, Commercial Operations at Circassia a specialty biopharma company focused on developing world class immunotherapy.
Stewart brings 25 years of commercial and marketing experience to OBN. Prior to taking up his position at Circassia he was Head of Commercial & Business Development at Astellas Pharma's subsidiary OSI / Prosidion.
Previously, he held senior leadership roles at Takeda, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, Roche and Glaxo Wellcome. During his career he has led the commercial activities for a number of new products, including the global launch of Xolair® for Novartis.
He also has wide experience of establishing high performing teams and has a proven record of developing and implementing successful marketing strategies in several therapeutic areas, including respiratory medicine.
Jon Rees, CEO of OBN commented “Working with Steven over a time of considerable change and growth has been very rewarding and whilst I am sorry to see him step down I am pleased that he will remain on the Board of OBN. The appointment of David and Stewart as Chairman and Deputy Chairman shows clearly that the composition of the Board increasingly reflects the life sciences R&D community we serve. I look forward to working with David and Stewart to consolidate OBN’s position as the business network providing comprehensive support for the life sciences community.”
Also announced is the appointment of David Boal as Director of Business Development.
David joins OBN with an admirable sales record having worked with many of the major bioscience players and his own very successful consultancy.
David graduated from the University of Ulster with a degree in Biomedical Sciences obtained whilst working at the MS research laboratories of Queens University in Belfast.
Over the past 25 years David has achieved significant success in a number of sales, marketing and business development roles all within the Bio-pharmaceutical arena for companies such as, GD Searle (now Pfizer where he held a number of Sales & Marketing positions, Scotia, PolyMasc (Valentis), Laxdale and Amarin Neuroscience (all for which he has completed a significant number of in and out-licensing multi-million dollar deals on a global or regional basis).
Finally in the last 3 years, David has successfully been running and managing his own business development consulting company (Diligent Consulting Ltd).
David brings to OBN a wide range of knowledge, expertise and understanding of the Bio/Pharm industry in addition to his business links and contacts established over his time in this field and aims to add to the success and growth of OBN as the leading trade body in the UK Biosciences sector.
Jon Rees, CEO of OBN commented: “I am delighted that David has joined our team and look forward to working with him to take OBN’s offering to its Members to the next level and building and consolidating OBN’s services to the community. David will be a valuable asset to OBN and our membership as we move forward and grow our business.”
