Company Leadership
ICON has assembled a leadership team with unrivaled vision and experience.
Board of Directors
ICON has assembled a leadership team with unrivaled vision and experience, all of whom contribute to managing the growth and direction of the company.
Dr. Bruce Given, Chairman
Dr. Given has served as an external director of the Company since September 2004. He became Chairman in January 2010.
From March 2002 until June 2007 he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Encysive Pharmaceuticals Inc. Previously, Dr. Given has held various positions in Johnson & Johnson group companies. Dr. Given obtained his doctorate from the University of Chicago in 1980.
Mr. Peter Gray, Vice Chairman
Peter Gray is the Vice Chairman of ICON plc.
He has been with the company since 1997, initially as CFO and later as COO. He became CEO in 2002, and served in this role until October 2011.
Peter has over 20 years experience in the pharmaceutical services industry and has also worked in the engineering and food sectors. Peter has a Law degree from Trinity College Dublin and is a qualified chartered accountant.
Mr. Ciaran Murray, Chief Executive Officer
Ciaran Murray is the Chief Executive Officer of ICON. He joined ICON as Chief Financial Officer in 2005, serving in that capacity until his appointment as Chief Executive. Prior to joining ICON, he held a number of senior financial positions in global organisations including Kraft Foods. Novell Inc. Northern Foods and Codec Systems.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University College Dublin and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with PwC
Dr John Climax, Non Exec. Director
Dr. John Climax, one of ICON's co-founders, was Chairman from November 2002 to December 2009. Prior to that, from June 1990 to November 2002 he served as Chief Executive of the Company . He has over 25 years of experience in the contract research industry globally.
John received his primary degree in pharmacy in 1977 from the University of Singapore, his masters in applied pharmacology in 1979 from the University of Wales and his PhD in clinical pharmacology from the National University of Ireland in 1982.
He has authored a significant number of papers and presentations, and holds adjunct professorship at the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland.
Dr. Ronan Lambe, Non Exec. Director
Dr. Lambe, one of the Company’s co-founders, served as Chairman of the Board of the Company from June 1990 to November 2002.
He has been a non executive director since January 2008. Dr. Lambe has over 30 years experience in the contract research industry. Dr. Lambe attended the National University of Ireland where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry in 1959, his masters in biochemistry in 1962 and his PhD. in pharmacology in 1976.
Mr. Thomas Lynch, Non Exec. Director
Mr. Lynch has served as an external director of the company since January 1996.
Mr. Lynch served as a director of Nanogen Inc., from 1996 to 2000. Mr. Lynch is currently a non-executive director of Amarin Corporation plc, a director of Royal Opera House (Covent Garden) and a non-executive director of IDA Ireland.
In the period from May 1993 to July 2004, Mr. Lynch held several senior positions in Elan Corporation, plc, a specialty pharmaceutical company, including Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Vice Chairman and Senior Advisor to the Chairman of the Board of Elan Corporation, plc. Mr. Lynch was a partner at KPMG from May 1990 to May 1993.
Prof. Dermot Kelleher, Non Exec. Director
Professor Dermot Kelleher joined the ICON board as an external director in May 2008.
Professor Kelleher is currently Head of the School of Medicine at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland and Director of the Institute of Molecular Medicine in Dublin. His research interests are broad ranging in the fields of Gastroenterology, Immunology and Molecular Biology and over a distinguished thirty year career he has led significant research projects in this field.
Alongside his notable academic appointments he has served as a visiting research scientist with a major pharmaceutical company and has been a founder of a number of biotechnology companies
Mr. Declan McKeon, Non Exec. Director
Declan McKeon was appointed as a non-executive director in April 2010
Mr. McKeon was a partner in PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) from 1986-2007. Declan's roles included leadership of the audit and business advisory team for PwC Ireland, membership on the PwC Europe audit and business advisory services executive and market sector lead for consumer and industrial products. Declan is a non-executive Director of Ryanair plc, he remains a consultant to PwC and sits on the audit committee of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
Declan holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Masters in Business Studies from University College Dublin and is a Fellow of The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland.
Ms. Cathrin Petty, Non Exec. Director
Cathrin is a Special Partner at Vitruvian Partners LLP and is a Non Executive Director for Circassia Ltd. She is an advisor to the pharmaceutical industry and formerly served as a Non Executive Director for the NHS (Strategic Health Authority for Greater London),
Between 2000 and 2010 Cathrin was a Healthcare Partner in Apax Partners LLP with responsibility for originating, executing, monitoring and exiting healthcare private equity investments. Her early career included Senior Associate and Research Analyst roles at Schroder Ventures Life Sciences and Schroders Investment Management.
Mr. Diarmaid Cunningham, Company Secretary & General Counsel
Diarmaid Cunningham is ICON's General Counsel. Diarmaid joined ICON as General Counsel in November 2009 having spent 10 years with A&L Goodbody which is one of Ireland's premier corporate law firms.
Diarmaid graduated with a Bachelor of Business and Legal Studies from University College Dublin in 1997 and qualified as a Solicitor with A&L Goodbody in 2001.
