Bill Burns Appointed as Non Executive Director

Shire plc (Dublin) a specialty biopharmaceutical company has appointed Bill Burns to its Board as a Non Executive Director with immediate effect. Mr Burns has also been appointed a member of Shire’s Remuneration Committee. Mr Burns has a long and distinguished career in the global pharmaceuticals industry, most recently as CEO of Roche’s Pharmaceuticals Division and as a member of the Roche Group Corporate Executive Committee. He was involved in the acquisition and privatisation of Genentech, led the integration of Boehringer Mannheim Therapeutics and played a lead role in the negotiations resulting in Roche becoming a majority owner of Chugai in Japan. Following retirement in January this year, he has since been appointed to the Board of Directors of Roche Holdings Ltd and is a Board member of bothChugai Pharmaceuticals and of Genentech Inc.