Last checked at 25 Feb 2010 07:00
For Immediate Release 25 February 2010
Genus plc
('Genus' or 'the Company')
Senior Management Appointments
Genus, a leading global animal genetics company, is pleased to announce the appointment of Ian Biggs as Head of Global Product and Business Strategy and the appointment of Bill Christianson as Chief Operating Officer of the Americas.
Ian Biggs, previously Chief Operating Officer for the Americas, will be responsible for planning and implementation of business strategy opportunities whilst ensuring that Genus' product ranges are researched and developed to meet immediate commercial opportunities.
Bill Christianson, previously General Manager of Genus' porcine business in the USA, will become responsible for Genus' operations in the Americas.
These senior management appointments highlight Genus' continued investment in its porcine and bovine product portfolios.
Additionally Genus announces that, following 36 years of service at Genus, Steve Amies, Chief Operating Officer for Research and Product Development, has indicated his wish to retire and will do so with effect from 31 March 2010.
Richard Wood, Chief Executive, commented:
"With the planned retirement of Steve Amies we have taken the opportunity to strengthen our existing management team's sales and business focus and we are delighted to announce the appointments of Ian Biggs and Bill Christianson to their new roles. Their experience and skills base will be invaluable as we look to take advantage of the expected recovery across agricultural markets. I wish Ian and Bill every success in their exciting new roles."
"Steve Amies has played an instrumental role in the success of Genus since it became a public company in 1997. On behalf of the Board I would like to thank Steve for his substantial contribution to the development of Genus and I wish him a very happy retirement."
For further information please contact:
Genus plc Tel: 01256 345970
Richard Wood, Chief Executive
Buchanan Communications Tel: 0207 466 5000
Charles Ryland, Suzanne Brocks
About Genus
Genus creates advances to animal breeding through biotechnology and sells added value products for livestock farming and food producers. It's non-Genetically Modified Organism technology is applicable across all livestock species but is only commercialised by Genus in the bovine and porcine farming sectors.
Genus' worldwide sales are made in seventy countries under the trademarks "ABS" (dairy and beef cattle) and "PIC" (pigs) and comprise semen and breeding animals with superior genetics to those animals currently in production. Customers' animals produce offspring with greater production efficiency, milk and meat output and quality and use these to supply the global dairy and meat supply chain.
The Group's competitive edge has been created from the ownership and control of proprietary lines of breeding animals, the biotechnology used to improve them and the Group's global production and distribution network.
Headquartered in Basingstoke, England, Genus companies operate in 30 countries on six continents, with research laboratories located in Madison, Wisconsin, USA.