Verona Pharma appoints Dr Ken Cunningham and Dr Anders Ullman as Non-Executive Directors
Verona Pharma plc announced the appointment of Ken Cunningham, MD and Anders Ullman, MD, PhD, as Non-Executive Directors of the Company with effect from 10 September 2015. Dr Cunningham will replace Professor Jones as the Non-Executive Director appointed by the Wales Life Sciences Investment Fund under the Subscription and Shareholders Agreement entered into in March 2014 with the Company. Mr Stuart Bottomley and Ms Claire Poll will also retire from the Board, having been Directors of Verona Pharma since 2006.
Dr Ken Cunningham has over 25 years' experience in the pharmaceutical industry including leadership roles at several companies focused on developing respiratory medicines. He is currently Non-executive Chairman of Abzena plc and Non-Executive Director of Xention Pharma Ltd and was Non-executive Chairman of Prosonix Ltd. Between 2008 and 2010 Dr Cunningham was at SkyePharma plc, initially as Chief Operating Officer and subsequently as Chief Executive Officer. Between 2002 and 2005 he was Chief Executive Officer of Arakis Ltd. Prior to this, Dr Cunningham was Vice-President European Affairs at Alza Corporation and Vice-President Clinical Development at Sequus Inc. Earlier in his career, he held a variety of clinical development and commercial strategy roles at GlaxoWellcome plc and Warner-Lambert. Dr Cunningham holds a Medical Degree from St Mary's, Imperial College, London University.
Dr Anders Ullman is an experienced pharmaceutical executive who has worked at Board and Senior Management level at a number of companies internationally. He has extensive experience of product development and life cycle management. From 2013 to 2014, Dr Ullman was Head of R&D Baxter Biosciences. From 2007 to 2013 he was EVP Head of R&D at Nycomed Pharma Pvt Limited. Following the sale of Nycomed to Takeda in 2011, he led the R&D transition team at Takeda Pharmaceuticals International GmbH. Prior to his time at Nycomed, Dr Ullman was Head of R&D at Biovitrum AB and EVP Global Product Development at Bayer Healthcare while earlier in his career he held a number of roles of increasing responsibility in AstraZeneca exiting as VP Global Clinical Function.
Ms Claire Poll, Executive Director, and Mr Stuart Bottomley and Professor Trevor Jones, both Non-Executive Directors, will retire from the Verona Pharma Board after having served since 2006. Ms Poll will continue to provide legal and corporate services to the Company.
Dr Cunningham will also be appointed as chairman of the Audit Committee and as a member of the Remuneration Committee and the Corporate Governance and Nominations Committees. Dr Ullman will be appointed as a member of the Audit Committee, the Remuneration Committee and the Corporate Governance and Nominations Committee. Mr Bottomley will retire from the Audit, Remuneration and Corporate Governance and Nominations Committees and Ms Poll will retire from the Audit Committee.
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