New Managing Director Announced for Moredun Scientific

Professor Willie Donachie has been appointed as the new Managing Director of Moredun Scientific. He will succeed Juan Escala who is leaving the company to take up a new opportunity.

Willie is currently Deputy Director at the Moredun Research Institute; in addition to his new position at Moredun Scientific he will continue to maintain a key role within the Institute.

Professor Donachie has been involved with the Animal Health Industry for over thirty years. He has specific research interests in bacterial diseases of livestock and vaccine development has been a major component of his research involving close links with commercial companies.

He graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1978 with a BSc in Microbiology and immediately joined the staff at the Moredun Research Institute in Edinburgh, where he gained his PhD in 1984 for studies on experimental vaccines for Mannheimia haemolytica infections in ruminants.

He is a visiting Professor at the University of Glasgow and an Honorary Fellow, Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Edinburgh. He is the Chair of the Veterinary Advisory Committee of the Horserace Betting Levy Board and an International Member of the Molecular and Developmental Genetics Grant Selection Committee of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

Professor Peter Wells, Chairman of Moredun Scientific commented: “We are delighted that Willie has agreed to become our new Managing Director, he brings a wealth of experience to the role and I look forward to working closely with him. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Juan Escala for the very significant contribution he has made to Moredun Scientific over the last 10 years.”

Professor Donachie said: “I am very pleased to be given the opportunity to lead Moredun Scientific.  The company has a strong reputation in both the Animal Health Industry and the broader biopharmaceutical industry. I look forward to working with the company as it further develops its position in Animal Health and continues to build the Biosafety testing business.”