Medicines Discovery Catapult appoints CEO

The Alderley Park, Cheshire-based Medicines Discovery Catapult (MDC) has appointed Chris Molloy as its first ever chief executive officer.

Currently chief executive of life sciences recruitment firm The RSA Group, Molloy will take up the lead role at the recently-established MDC in November this year.

As chief executive, he will primarily work with the board of directors and government organisation Innovate UK to develop and implement a new five-year business plan for the drug discovery and early development firm.

Chairman Professor Graham Boulnois, said: “We are delighted to bring Chris on board as we start out exciting journey at the Medicines Discovery Catapult.

“Chris' experience of leading companies operating in life sciences combined with his in-depth knowledge of drug discovery will be of tremendous value to the company.”

Molloy moves to the MDC from The RSA Group, which he joined in 2009 as a non-executive director before becoming chief executive in 2013.

Prior to this, he has served as corporate development and marketing vice-president at IDBS, chief operating officer of Singaporean biotech MerLion Pharmaceuticals, and has held research and development positions at GlaxoKlineSmith.

Molloy said: “I am very much looking forward to building and leading the team at the Medicines Discovery Catapult.

“The Catapult will engage the UK's experienced drug discovery talent and help launch a new generation of drug research and development leaders into a successful future.

“It is an incredibly exciting and forward-thinking organisation that will actively shape the direction of travel in drug discovery and development and enable others in the UK to do so too.”