LINK Appoints Former Girindus America CEO, Marc Lemaître, As Chairman
BELLSHILL, SCOTLAND, 15 August 2016: LINK (www.linktech.co.uk), the innovative developer and manufacturer of nucleic acid reagents, announces the appointment of Dr Marc Lemaître as Chairman of the Board with immediate effect. He takes over office from Dr Mick McLean, who is standing down after 9 successful years in the role. Dr Lemaître will oversee LINK’s continued growth in developing both its established nucleic acid reagents business and expanding its range of innovative reagents for oligo therapeutics and diagnostics.
Since obtaining a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Liège, Dr Lemaître has been working in the field of nucleic acids for over 30 years, holding senior positions within various high profile CMOs, Pharma and Biotech companies. He oversaw the implementation of IVD oligo production at Eurogentec, and worked for Glen Research before being appointed in 2009 as CEO and President of Girindus America. After negotiating the merger between Nitto-Denko Avecia and the US operations of Girindus in 2013, Marc has been working as an independent consultant. He was originally appointed as a non-executive Director of LINK in February 2015.
Commenting on his appointment, Dr Lemaître said: “I am deeply honoured to take up this position on LINK’s board. After 18 months as a Director, and many years before that as a customer, it is clear to me the outstanding talent of the people at LINK, and how much effort they focus on customer satisfaction and product quality. It’s therefore a great pleasure to now guide the strategic definition of LINK’s future business, and I look forward to working with the team. On behalf of the company, I also extend our sincere gratitude to Mick for his committed and successful tenure as Chairman, and wish him very well with his future endeavours.”
Outgoing Chairman, Dr McLean, added: “I have enjoyed immensely working with LINK over the years, and I wish the business and all those associated with it all the best for a prosperous future. I have no doubt that under Marc’s leadership, the company will continue to develop its leading position in the nucleic acid chemistry landscape.”
Editors’ Notes
About Marc Lemaître
Marc Lemaître holds a degree in Organic Chemistry and a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Liège, Belgium. Since 1980, Marc’s professional interests have focused on the study of nucleic acids. Marc has held positions of increasing seniority in R&D, operations, business development, and general management within various high profile CMOs, Pharma and Biotech companies, in particular spending 13 years at Eurogentec, SA which included the implementation of IVD oligo production. Based in the USA since 2006, he has worked for Glen Research, before being recruited in 2009 as CEO of Girindus America, a CMO with a focus on the cGMP manufacture of oligonucleotides for therapeutic applications. In this role, Marc also held the legal responsibility of President of the management board of the German listed company Girindus AG, adding invaluable experience of leadership of a public company. After negotiating the merger between Nitto-Denko Avecia and the US operations of Girindus, he developed his consulting business. He was appointed as a non-executive Director of LINK in 2015, and continues to work as an independent consultant based on Cincinnati, OH. He is also member of the board and treasurer of the Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society.
About LINK
LINK, an ISO9001:2008 certified manufacturer, is a leading supplier of speciality reagents for oligonucleotide synthesis. The company’s main markets are university and commercial research departments, oligonucleotide synthesis companies, plus, increasingly, larger Contract Manufacturing Organisations (CMOs) in the biotech sector.
LINK has also forged successful links to academia working closely with many UK universities. In tandem with internal research and development, the Company has an excellent record in bringing in-licence products to market with various worldwide commercial partners. LINK is a trading name of Link Technologies Ltd, Scotland. For further information see: www.linktech.co.uk
Since obtaining a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Liège, Dr Lemaître has been working in the field of nucleic acids for over 30 years, holding senior positions within various high profile CMOs, Pharma and Biotech companies. He oversaw the implementation of IVD oligo production at Eurogentec, and worked for Glen Research before being appointed in 2009 as CEO and President of Girindus America. After negotiating the merger between Nitto-Denko Avecia and the US operations of Girindus in 2013, Marc has been working as an independent consultant. He was originally appointed as a non-executive Director of LINK in February 2015.
Commenting on his appointment, Dr Lemaître said: “I am deeply honoured to take up this position on LINK’s board. After 18 months as a Director, and many years before that as a customer, it is clear to me the outstanding talent of the people at LINK, and how much effort they focus on customer satisfaction and product quality. It’s therefore a great pleasure to now guide the strategic definition of LINK’s future business, and I look forward to working with the team. On behalf of the company, I also extend our sincere gratitude to Mick for his committed and successful tenure as Chairman, and wish him very well with his future endeavours.”
Outgoing Chairman, Dr McLean, added: “I have enjoyed immensely working with LINK over the years, and I wish the business and all those associated with it all the best for a prosperous future. I have no doubt that under Marc’s leadership, the company will continue to develop its leading position in the nucleic acid chemistry landscape.”
Editors’ Notes
About Marc Lemaître
Marc Lemaître holds a degree in Organic Chemistry and a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Liège, Belgium. Since 1980, Marc’s professional interests have focused on the study of nucleic acids. Marc has held positions of increasing seniority in R&D, operations, business development, and general management within various high profile CMOs, Pharma and Biotech companies, in particular spending 13 years at Eurogentec, SA which included the implementation of IVD oligo production. Based in the USA since 2006, he has worked for Glen Research, before being recruited in 2009 as CEO of Girindus America, a CMO with a focus on the cGMP manufacture of oligonucleotides for therapeutic applications. In this role, Marc also held the legal responsibility of President of the management board of the German listed company Girindus AG, adding invaluable experience of leadership of a public company. After negotiating the merger between Nitto-Denko Avecia and the US operations of Girindus, he developed his consulting business. He was appointed as a non-executive Director of LINK in 2015, and continues to work as an independent consultant based on Cincinnati, OH. He is also member of the board and treasurer of the Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society.
About LINK
LINK, an ISO9001:2008 certified manufacturer, is a leading supplier of speciality reagents for oligonucleotide synthesis. The company’s main markets are university and commercial research departments, oligonucleotide synthesis companies, plus, increasingly, larger Contract Manufacturing Organisations (CMOs) in the biotech sector.
LINK has also forged successful links to academia working closely with many UK universities. In tandem with internal research and development, the Company has an excellent record in bringing in-licence products to market with various worldwide commercial partners. LINK is a trading name of Link Technologies Ltd, Scotland. For further information see: www.linktech.co.uk