Directorate Change

United Drug plc

Directorate Change

Dublin, London, 2 October 2012: United Drug plc ('the Company', 'the Group' or 'United Drug') announces that after 20 years with the Company, its Finance Director, Mr. Barry McGrane, is to step down from his role at the end of May 2013 and will (subject to re-election) then assume a non-executive director position until the AGM in 2014. Mr. McGrane has served as Finance Director since 2001.

The Board wishes to thank Barry for his outstanding service to the Company and for his contribution to its growth and development over his many years working with the Group. The Board is pleased that it is intended that Barry's knowledge and experience will be retained in a non-executive director capacity.

The Company also announces that Mr. McGrane will be replaced by Mr. Alan Ralph who will be appointed Chief Financial Officer from June 2013. Mr. Ralph has been a director since 2008 and since 2005 has been Managing Director of the Company's largest business segment, the Healthcare Supply Chain Division (formerly the Pharma Wholesale Division). He previously held the roles of Group Financial Controller and Company Secretary in United Drug and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland.

"Barry has made a significant contribution to United Drug over the last 20 years and particularly to its transformation in recent years into an international healthcare services business" said Chief Executive Liam FitzGerald. "We are pleased that he will continue to share his knowledge and experience with us as a board member and we wish him the very best for the future. In Alan Ralph we have another experienced and dynamic executive who will slot seamlessly into the CFO role given his past financial experience and his deep knowledge of the Group".

ENDS

For reference:

Karen Geoghegan

Company Secretary

Tel: +353-1-4637720

About United Drug plc

Listed on the Stock Exchanges in London and Dublin, United Drug is a leading international provider of services to healthcare manufacturers and pharmaceutical retailers, with operations in over 20 countries including: the UK, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and the USA. 

The Company operates across three divisions, Healthcare Supply Chain, Sales, Marketing & Medical, and Packaging & Specialty.

In Healthcare Supply Chain, United Drug is the largest pharmaceutical wholesaler in the island of Ireland. It is also the market leader in contract distribution outsourcing (pre-wholesaling) in Ireland and has achieved the No. 1 position in the UK through its joint venture business UniDrug Distribution Group (UDG). The Company provides specials medicines manufacturing and distribution services in the UK. Through its medical & scientific operations, United Drug provides sales & marketing and technical service solutions, including contract distribution services to a wide range of medical & scientific equipment & consumable manufacturers, with a market leading position in Ireland and an emerging presence in the UK.

In the Sales, Marketing & Medical division United Drug is a global leader in the provision of contract sales outsourcing services to pharmaceutical manufacturers with operations in major markets including Continental Europe, the UK, North America and a presence in South America. United Drug also provides related marketing services to pharmaceutical manufacturers in many of these markets.

In the Packaging & Specialty division United Drug is a leading international provider of pharmaceutical contract packaging and clinical trials materials services with facilities in the US, UK, Dutch and Belgian markets. The Company also provides speciality distribution and homecare services in the UK and Ireland.

For more information go to www.united-drug.com.