ECO Animal Health Group plc has appointed Dr Didier Branellec, a senior life sciences executive, as an Independent Non-Executive Director, effective immediately. The appointment strengthens the company’s Board with more than two decades of international experience across animal health, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and corporate strategy.
Branellec currently serves as Senior Vice President, Business Alliances at BioNTech, where he leads global partnerships with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and academic institutions and oversees major alliance-related transactions. He has also advised healthcare investment firm Archimed on identifying investment opportunities in animal health.
Before joining BioNTech, Branellec was Vice President, Global Strategy, Business Development & Digital at Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health. He developed the business unit’s strategy and served on its executive committee before moving to the role of Vice President, Corporate Strategy & Development, covering animal health, human pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing.
Branellec previously spent 15 years at Merial, the global animal health business operated as a division of Sanofi. As Vice President and Global Head of Business Development, he helped execute more than 50 transactions, including in-licensing, commercial agreements and mergers and acquisitions. He also played a senior role in the asset swap that resulted in Merial becoming part of Boehringer Ingelheim.
David Hallas, Chief Executive Officer of ECO Animal Health, commented: “We are delighted to welcome Didier to the Board as an Independent Non-Executive Director. His international career, extensive network and strong track record of strategic execution and successful transactions in animal health and beyond will offer invaluable insights that are well aligned to ECO’s growth plans.”
Commenting on his appointment, Didier Branellec added: “ECO Animal Health is strongly positioned to deliver its next phase of growth, driven by the launch of new self-developed innovative products, new market penetration and in-licensing opportunities,” and he looks forward to working closely with the ECO Animal Health Board to ensure they capitalise on the significant opportunities ahead.
