Directorate Changes

Two Independent Non-Executive Directors to join Uniphar Board

Dublin, London | 27 January 2021: Uniphar plc (the "Company" or "Uniphar") is pleased to announce the appointment of James ("Jim") Gaul and Elizabeth ("Liz") Hoctor to its Board as independent non-executive Directors with immediate effect.

Jim Gaul

Jim Gaul is an experienced executive and non-executive director with a strong track record in financial management in multinational pharmaceutical and healthcare sector companies. He is a former CFO of Sanofi Ireland, with thirty years' experience in companies across the healthcare value chain, from early stage/R&D pharma to patient-facing hospital services. Jim is also former CFO of Mount Carmel Private Hospital. Jim is a Certified Public Accountant with experience in financial management, successful strategic business modelling and achieving business growth. He has an interest and experience in the achievement of success through people and is an experienced change manager and mentor with a focus on building organisational structures to foster strong results and employee satisfaction. Jim is also an experienced board member with significant committee experience over the last twenty years on the Boards and Committees of Carraig Insurance Ltd, various Sanofi entities and Valeant Pharmaceuticals Ireland. Jim is currently a non-executive director of a number of OPKO Health subsidiaries.

Liz Hoctor

Liz Hoctor is a qualified pharmacist with over thirty years' practical business experience and over twenty years' experience in advocacy and negotiation at both political and administrative levels of Government on behalf of the pharmacy profession. Liz was elected as President of the Irish Pharmacy Union ("IPU") from 2008-2010 and since 2013 has served as Professional Development and Learning Manager at the IPU. Liz owned and operated her own pharmacy from 1993 to 2005 in Mullingar. She has an in-depth understanding of the Irish, European and International Healthcare Systems and an extensive interest and expertise in the area of quality assurance and patient safety.

Other Board Developments

The Company also announces that Marie McConn is resigning from the Board with immediate effect and Padraic Staunton will resign from the Board at the Company's Annual General Meeting expected to take place in May and will not seek re-election. Both Marie and Padraic joined the Board in 2009 and each has played an invaluable role in driving the Board's agenda and in shareholder communications during their time on the Board.

The Company also announces the following non-executive director changes to the composition of the Committees of the Board with immediate effect:

·      Jim Gaul and Liz Hoctor have been appointed to the Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee,

·      Ger Penny has resigned from the Audit, Risk & Compliance Committee,

·      Jim Gaul has been appointed to the Nominations and Governance Committee,

·      Marie McConn has resigned from the Nominations and Governance Committee,

·      Maurice Pratt and Padraic Staunton have resigned from the Remuneration Committee; and

·      Jeff Berkowitz has been appointed to the Remuneration Committee.

The updated composition of the Committees of the Board will be available on the Company's website: www.uniphar.com.

Maurice Pratt, Chairman of Uniphar plc, commented:

"We are delighted to attract candidates of Jim Gaul and Liz Hoctor's experience to the Uniphar Board. Each with over 30 years' experience across the healthcare sector, Jim and Liz will add significantly to the depth and breadth of industry insights available to the Board and the senior management team in line with our growth strategy. On behalf of all our Directors, I would like to take this opportunity to warmly welcome Jim and Liz to the Board of Uniphar."

"I would also like to personally thank Marie McConn and Padraic Staunton for the very significant contribution they have each made as Board members over the past decade. Their experience and expertise were a great support to the Board since their appointments in 2009, and we wish them both well for the future."

Additional Information: 

Jim Gaul (an Irish citizen, aged 61 years) does not hold any ordinary shares or share options in the Company.

Current Directorships:                                      Past Directorships:

OPKO Ireland Limited                                          Sanofi-Aventis Ireland Limited,

                                                                             Valeant Pharmaceuticals Ireland,

                                                                             Carraig Insurance Designated Activity Company,

                                                                             Hoechst Marion Roussel Ireland Limited,

                                                                             Transition Therapeutics Ireland Limited,

                                                                             Ustem SRL.

Liz Hoctor (an Irish citizen, aged 55 years) holds 81,326 ordinary shares in the Company.

The Company confirms that there is no other information that is required to be disclosed in accordance with Rule 17 of the AIM Rules for Companies and Rule 5.22 (b) of Chapter 5: Additional Rules for the Euronext Growth Market operated by Euronext Dublin.

For further details contact:

About Uniphar plc 

Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, Uniphar plc is an international diversified healthcare services business, servicing the requirements of more than 200 multinational pharmaceutical and medical technology manufacturers across three divisions - Commercial & Clinical, Product Access and Supply Chain & Retail.

The Group has strong established relationships with 7 of the top 10 pharma companies and 6 of the top 10 medical device companies. With more than 2,500 colleagues, the Group is active in Ireland, the UK, the Benelux, the Nordics and the US, delivering unlicensed and specialty medicine on a global basis.

The Group's vision is to improve patient access to pharmaco-medical products and treatments by enhancing connectivity between manufacturers and healthcare stakeholders. Uniphar represents a strong combination of scale, growth and profitability.

Commercial & Clinical

In Commercial & Clinical the Group provides sales, marketing & distribution solutions to multinational pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers on an outsourced basis. Active in Ireland, the UK, the Benelux, and the Nordics, the Group is growing with its clients to provide pan-European solutions. Uniphar has built a fully integrated multi-channel solution that is supported by highly experienced, clinically trained teams to deliver exceptional outcomes for all clients.

Product Access

In Product Access the Group is growing two distinct service offerings: 1) "On Demand Access", which are pharmacy led solutions for sourcing and supplying unlicensed medicines to meet the needs of both retail and hospital pharmacists; and 2) "Exclusive Access", which are manufacturer led solutions for controlling the release of speciality medicines for specifically approved patient populations in agreed markets. The Group currently delivers product access solutions on a global basis. 

Supply Chain & Retail

Uniphar is an established market leader in Ireland with over a 50% market share in the wholesale/hospital market, supported by a network of c.335 owned, franchised and symbol group pharmacies. The business supports the diverse customer base through the provision of strong service levels coupled with innovative commercial initiatives. Supply Chain & Retail is an Irish only business for the Group, although the manufacturer relationships and infrastructure are utilised for the benefit of the growth divisions, Commercial & Clinical and Product Access.