Elan appoints legal eagle Collier as exec. VP

Athlone-based pharmaceutical company Elan today announced that legal eagle Richard C. Collier would be joining the company as executive vice president and general counsel at the end of the month.

Mr Collier will have overall responsibility for Elan's legal organisation and become an integral part of the company's leadership team.

Mr Collier is currently senior counsel, Life Sciences Interdisciplinary Group, at Morgan, Lewis

& Bockius LLP, where he focuses on legal issues regarding pharmaceutical discovery, development, manufacture, marketing and sales.

Prior to joining Morgan Lewis, he was senior vice president and general counsel at Pharmacia Corporation, after serving in that same position at Pharmacia & Upjohn. Prior to his experience at Pharmacia, Mr. Collier spent 11 years at Rhone-Poulenc Rorer, Inc. Previously, he was in private practice after having served with the US Federal Trade Commission and US Department of Justice.

Elan President and CEO Kelly Martin said: "We look forward to Rick joining our team and we are confident that Elan will benefit from his experience and leadership.”