UCB names two new director candidates

UCB has announced the nomination of Harriet Edelman and Charles-Antoine Janssen as candidate members of its corporate board of directors.

Ms Edelman is the current vice-chairman of the privately-held US financial organisation Emigrant Bank and was also previously employed by Avon, while Mr Janssen is an established UCB executive who has been with the firm since 2001.

Their appointment to the board will be voted on at the company's next general assembly, which takes place on April 26th 2012.

During this meeting, the mandates of current board members Karel Boone, Thomas Leysen and Gaetan van de Werve will come to an end, while Alexandre Van Damme has also announced his resignation.

Roch Doliveux, chief executive officer of UCB, said: "We are delighted to have Harriet and Charles-Antoine as new candidates. Both bring unique experience and views to the board, enabling us to continue our journey as a patient-centric biopharma leader."

Earlier this week, UCB announced a new research alliance with the University of Oxford, which will see the two organisations jointly researching immunology and neurology treatments.