The Association of ClinicalResearch Organizations (ACRO), which represents the clinical outsourcing industry to regulators, biopharmaceutical clients, policy makers and the public in the U.S. and worldwide, today announced that it has elected Dr. Derek Winstanly as Chair for 2009 and Mr. William Sharbaugh as Chair-Elect. Dr. Winstanly, MBChB, Executive Vice President of Strategic Business Partnerships for Quintiles Transnational, and Mr. Sharbaugh, Chief Operating Officer of PPD, were elected at the association’s annual meeting in December. Dr. Winstanly is a respected leader of the clinical research organization (CRO) industry, having held various global leadership positions within Quintiles since joining the company in 1999. In his current role, as Executive Vice President, he works with senior biopharmaceutical executives to provide long-term strategic solutions, and is responsible for the Office of the Chief Medical Officer as well as the ethics and quality assurance functions of the company. Mr. Sharbaugh joined PPD in 2007 after spending more than 16 years in the pharmaceutical industry, including senior management positions with Bristol-Myers Squibb and Merck & Co. As COO, he provides strategic direction and leadership to PPD’s Phase II-IV clinical business, global central labs, information technology and human resources. “I am delighted to lead ACRO in 2009 and to help set the organization’s strategic agenda during this crucial period of development for the CRO industry,” said Dr. Winstanly. “The long-term future for the CRO industry remains bright and we look forward to working with our clients, regulators and legislators globally to bring about a more efficient drug development paradigm while maintaining the highest standards of patient safety.” ACRO is also pleased to announce the addition of ICON plc as an associate member. ICON, based in Dublin, Ireland, is a full service CRO that currently has more than 6,500 employees working in 38 countries. “Dr. Winstanly and Mr. Sharbaugh bring tremendous vision and commitment to the ACRO leadership team,” said ACRO Executive Director Doug Peddicord, Ph.D. “As one of the leading global CROs, we welcome ICON into the association and, as always, we will work to provide exceptional value for all of our members.” About ACRO The Association of Clinical Research Organizations (ACRO) is the professional organization of companies whose focus is clinical research. The association provides an active voice for the CRO industry, which provides specialized services that are integral to the development of drugs, biologics and medical devices. ACRO helps its members improve the quality, efficiency and safety of biomedical research. ACRO member companies employ more than 72,000 professionals worldwide. For more information, please visit www.acrohealth.org.
