Abcam announces appointment of new CEO and board change
Abcam has appointed Alan Hirzel as CEO with immediate effect. Alan will succeed long-serving chief executive and co-founder of Abcam Jonathan Milner, who will continue to play an active role in the company as deputy chairman and who remains the company's largest shareholder.
Jonathan’s exceptional vision and ambition inspired the creation of Abcam in 1998. He and the board are delighted to appoint a successor to lead the business through its next phase of growth. Alan brings an impressive combination of a strong scientific background, global business and leadership experience, and consumer knowledge. He will take over the leadership of the company effective immediately, whilst Jonathan will continue to use his extensive industry experience and network of contacts to identify partnership and acquisition opportunities, as well as technology changes which will help maintain Abcam’s leading technical edge.
Alan takes on the role of CEO having spent the last year as chief marketing officer of Abcam and he has served on the board since January 2014. In this role he had responsibility for the company's branding, product portfolio and online consumer offering, and worked closely with Jonathan to develop Abcam’s strategic vision. Abcam is already seeing results; achieving internal milestones and delivering incremental revenue growth. Abcam believes that this strategy will provide a solid platform for growth in the mid- to long-term.
Peter Keen, a board member since 2005, will not be seeking re-election, in line with corporate governance best practice for independent directors. During his time on the board, Peter served as chairman of the remuneration and audit committees, and as the senior independent director. Abcam is grateful for the significant contribution Peter has made to the operation of the board and the development of the business during that time. Louise Patten will assume the senior independent director role following the AGM in November.
Commenting on the management changes, Murray Hennessy, chairman designate, Abcam said: “Through the innovative business model that Jonathan established and developed, Abcam has grown to have nearly 750 employees globally, with our newest office in Shanghai opening earlier this year. He and Alan have forged a close working relationship and share a strategic vision for Abcam’s future. Alan will take over the leadership of the company, with Jonathan remaining involved in helping to identify and capitalise on important technological developments in the market and business development opportunities.
“Abcam continues to grow and is now entering the next phase of its development. The Board felt that Alan, with his keen focus on the customer and significant global business experience, was the ideal candidate to lead the company through this.”