ABC.L Regulatory News (ABC)

26 Feb 2009 07:00



ABCAM PLC

( "Abcam" or "the Company" )

Appointment of Non-Executive Director

Cambridge UK, 26 February 2009: Abcam plc (AIM: ABC), the rapidly growing bioscience company that markets antibodies via its own online catalogue, is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Redmond as the Company's Non-Executive Deputy Chairman.

Mr Redmond has substantial, international experience in the pharmaceutical industry gained in both executive and non-executive capacities at businesses ranging from multinational organisations to start-up companies.

Mr Redmond, aged 64, is currently Non-Executive Chairman of Dechra Pharmaceuticals plc (LSE: DPH) and his recent chairmanships include Synexus Clinical Research plc, Arakis Ltd and Mircroscience Ltd. His executive career began at Glaxo Group plc in 1967 and was followed, from 1975 to 1990, by senior positions in marketing and management at Schering Plough Corporation. He joined Fisons plc in 1991 and became Managing Director of its pharmaceutical division, leaving after the company's acquisition by Rhone Poulenc Rhorer in 1995.

Mr Redmond's appointment as Abcam's Non-Executive Deputy Chairman is in preparation for David Cleevely, the Company's co-founder and Chairman, to step down from the Company's Board in due course. Dr Cleevely, who co-founded Abcam in 1998 and has served on the Company's Board for more than 10 years, is expected to leave the Company by the end of this calendar year to pursue other business interests.

David Cleevely, Abcam's Chairman, said: "I am delighted to welcome Michael Redmond to Abcam's Board in the role of Deputy Chairman. Michael's breadth of experience in the healthcare industry will be of great value in the future development of Abcam. It is my intention, after more than ten years, to step down from the Company's Board by the end of this calendar year, safe in the knowledge that Abcam is ideally positioned to achieve its goal of building the world's largest online antibody resource." 

Mr Redmond holds or has held directorships in the five years preceding his appointment at Abcam as follows:

In February 2001, Scotia Holdings plc, a biotechnology company of which Mr Redmond was a Non-Executive Director, entered into administration. 

Other than as disclosed above, there is no further information to be disclosed in relation to Schedule 2 paragraph (g) of the AIM Rules.

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Notes for editors 

About Abcam plc 

Abcam is a producer and distributor of research-grade antibodies headquartered in Cambridge, UK, with a US office located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and a Japanese office in Tokyo. Abcam was admitted to AIM in November 2005 and trades under the ticker symbol ABC. The Company produces and distributes its own and third party produced antibodies to academic and commercial users throughout the world with product information provided and ordering available through the Company's website, www.abcam.com. The antibodies are sold under the Abcam brand name. The Company's vision is to build the largest online antibody resource in the world while also ensuring that the antibodies are of high quality and commercially viable. Abcam now has an online catalogue of over 50,000 products, most of which are antibodies, from over 250 suppliers supported by up-to-date and detailed technical data sheets, which are created by the Company. The Company currently employs over 200 staff in its three operating companies.