Management Team
Merrion's management team has extensive life science industry experience ranging from start ups to multinational pharmaceutical companies, including several contract research organisations. With expertise across all aspects of the product life cycle, the team has an established record of accomplishment in pharmaceutical and biotechnology product discovery, development, manufacturing, marketing and intellectual property management.
John Lynch, Chief Executive Officer
John Lynch has extensive Pharmaceutical industry experience, with a 20 year career of achievement in many facets of the industry. In that time he has worked in senior positions in operations, business development, sales & marketing and finance. Mr. Lynch has served as our Chief Executive Officer since February 2008, as our Chief Operating Officer since May 2005, as our Managing Director from April 2004 to May 2005, and on our Board of Directors since April 2005. From April 2003 to April 2004, Mr. Lynch was the Chief Executive Officer of JML Healthcare, providing strategic consultancy to blue chip big pharma as well as indigenous life science companies. Previous to that he had a 15 year career with Abbott Laboratories in increasingly responsible management positions. From April 1999 to April 2003, Mr. Lynch served as Divisional Director of Abbott Laboratories Ltd., a global health care company, growing the business area to $100M turnover and gaining significant market share. Previously, he held positions as Senior Business Development Manager, Abbott International USA (with International responsibilities); Division Director, Hospital Products and Nutritional Products Divisions, Abbott Laboratories, Ireland, and Financial Director, Abbott Laboratories, Ireland. Earlier in his career Mr. Lynch held financial positions with Bayer Diagnostics Limited and Ernst & Young. Mr. Lynch received a B.Comm. from University College Dublin. He is also a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland and holds a marketing qualification through the MII.
Thomas W. Leonard, PhD, Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer
Dr. Leonard has 25 years of new product formulation and drug development management experience. He joined Merrion from Endeavor Pharmaceuticals, Inc., where he served as Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, and was responsible for several NDA programs in the areas of postmenopausal hormone treatment for vasomotor symptoms, osteoporosis, and female sexual dysfunction. Previously, he was Senior Director, Product Development at aaiPharma, Inc. and Director of aaiPharma's Fomulations Development Division. Dr. Leonard also held the positions of Associate Director, Liquid Formulations and Parenteral Development Sections, and corporate project team leader at Wyeth-Ayerst Research, and Section Head, Biopharmacy and Experimental Formulations at Ayerst Laboratories, Inc.
Dr. Leonard received a BS in Pharmacy from The College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, and a PhD in Pharmaceutics from the Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University. He has published extensively in his field, holds numerous approved patents in the areas of drug development, and is an active member of several professional pharmaceutical organisations.
Jonathan O'Connell, Chief Financial Officer
Jonathan O'Connell has more than 13 years experience in international finance and operations. Prior to Merrion, Mr. O'Connell was the CFO and a Director at Spectel plc. As a key member of the Board of Spectel, his major achievement was the strategic development and growth of the company from 60 to over 200 employees, and the management of the acquisition of Spectel by Avaya. From 1992-2000 he was CFO and a Director of Trinity Biotech plc, Ireland's largest indigenous developer and manufacturer of diagnostic tests. During his tenure at Trinity Biotech, the company was listed on both the Nasdaq and the Irish Stock Exchange, successfully achieving five placements of equity raises in excess of $16m. He was also responsible for the negotiation and finalisation of nine acquisitions of companies or product lines, including a US public company. Prior to joining Trinity Biotech, he held a position in the audit division with Arthur Andersen. Mr. O'Connell is a Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland.
John Fox, PhD, Chief Development Officer
Dr Fox has over 20 years experience in the pharmaceutical industry. He joined Merrion from Hunter Fleming where he served as Chief Operating Officer and was responsible for pharmaceutical development of new medicines, regulatory compliance, valuations, portfolio planning and IP maintenance. He was also responsible for representing their development portfolio to potential investors and licensees.
Prior to the formation of Hunter Fleming, Dr Fox held a variety of senior positions for Shire Pharmaceuticals. As Group Planning Director he covered planning and new project evaluation for constituent companies within Shire and was responsible for project implementation in the United States, Europe and Japan.
Dr Fox holds a PhD and BSc in Biochemistry from Queens University Belfast as well as an MBA in Information Flows in Pharmaceutical Drug Research from Henley Management College. He has published several clinical pharmacology papers and abstracts and is a member of the Royal Society of Medicine and the Drug Information Society.
