Genzyme Corporation announced today that Ron Branning, a 30-plus year bio/pharmaceutical veteran specializing in the development of world-class drug and device quality monitoring systems and regulatory compliance management practices, has joined the company as Senior Vice President of Global Product Quality. In this role, he will ensure the quality of all Genzyme products manufactured at seventeen sites around the world. “We are committed to the highest standards of drug and device quality for patients,” said Henri A. Termeer, Genzyme’s chairman and chief executive officer. “Ron Branning is a recognized industry leader in ensuring product quality, and we look forward to adding his experience to our corporate leadership team. Bringing in new senior leaders such as Ron is a fundamental component of our plan to renew and strengthen our manufacturing organization.” Prior to joining Genzyme, Mr. Branning led the quality and compliance functions at Gilead Sciences, where he was Corporate Vice President of Quality and Compliance, and Chief Compliance Officer. He has also held senior quality leadership positions at Genentech, Aventis Behring, and Somatogen (Baxter). Earlier in his career, he developed extensive quality experience at Genetics Institute (Wyeth), Boehringer Ingelheim, GD Searle (Pfizer) and Johnson & Johnson. Mr. Branning has had oversight responsibility for a diverse range of products, including biologics, small molecules, and devices. His experience also includes the development of organizational models and systems that produce measureable and successful quality and compliance practices across multiple manufacturing sites. During his career, he has been recruited to build quality programs and compliance systems that resolved significant challenges, including FDA warning letters, consent decrees, product recalls, and FDA 483 post-inspection letters. Mr. Branning will report to Genzyme executive vice president David Meeker, M.D., and have a direct reporting line to CEO Henri Termeer. “Ron’s experience and dedication to product quality are of the highest-caliber,” said David Meeker, M.D., Genzyme executive vice president. “He has managed quality and compliance programs for global companies with diverse products, and has successfully led organizations through significant manufacturing events.” “Genzyme is a growing company with a vital mission and promising future,” said Ron Branning. “I am very pleased to be joining an exceptional organization that is committed to developing important drugs and medical devices for patients who truly need them.”
