Board Appointment

RNS Number : 1649F

OptiBiotix Health PLC

18 February 2015

 

OptiBiotix Health plc

("OptiBiotix" or the "Company")

Board Appointment

OptiBiotix Health plc (AIM: OPTI), a Life Sciences business developing compounds to tackle obesity, high cholesterol and diabetes announces the appointment of Jim Laird as Commercial Director to the Board.

Jim has worked in commercial and corporate roles for some of the world's leading food companies including Birds Eye (Unilever), Walkers Snacks (Pepsico), and Premier Foods.  Jim was General Manager of Quorn (Marlow Foods), the world's leading meat-free brand (previously owned by Premier Foods), operating in 10 countries with global turnover of c.£140m, and in this role he increased international sales by £10m concluding with the £205m sale of Quorn (Marlow Foods) to Private Equity. During his time at Premier Foods Jim led the integration of three acquisitions and established numerous partnership, licensing and joint venture agreements, including a £60m joint venture for the Dry Powders business.

In 2011 Jim founded an FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) consultancy business to support companies with strategic and corporate development, including M&A opportunities to build shareholder value.

A proven Commercial Director with a strong global reputation in the food industry, Jim has an excellent track record in delivering increased profits and building commercial partnerships within the food industry.

Jim has a Masters in Manufacturing Sciences & Engineering with Distinction from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.

Stephen O'Hara, CEO of OptiBiotix, commented: "Jim's licensing, partnering, and acquisition experience brings food industry specific commercial and corporate expertise to OptiBiotix.  This appointment will add capability and capacity and allow us to explore a wider range of product and partnering opportunities to build a successful and sustainable business for shareholders." 

The following information is disclosed pursuant to Schedule 2(g) of the AIM Rules for Companies:

Robert Jim Laird, aged 45, has held the following directorships or partnerships in the past 5 years:

Current	Past
Value Creation Partners Ltd	None
3f bio Ltd

Mr Laird does not currently own any shares in the Company.

There is no further information to be disclosed pursuant to Schedule Two, paragraph (g) of the AIM Rules for Companies.

For further information:

OptiBiotix Health plc	www.optibiotix.com
Stephen O'Hara, Chief Executive	Contact via Walbrook below
Cairn Financial Advisers LLP	Tel: [phone]
Liam Murray / Avi Robinson
Hybridan LLP (Joint Broker) Claire Louise Noyce	Tel: [phone]
Peterhouse Corporate Finance Ltd (Joint Broker)	Tel: [phone]
Lucy Williams / Duncan Vasey
Walbrook PR Ltd	Tel: [phone] or [e-mail]
Anna Dunphy	Mob: [phone]
Mike Wort	Mob: [phone]

About OptiBiotix - www.optibiotix.com

OptiBiotix was formed in March 2012 to develop compounds which modify the human microbiome - the collective genome of the microbes in the body - to prevent and manage human disease. 

The aim of OptiBiotix is to discover and develop microbial strains, compounds and formulations, which modulate the human microbiome and can be used as food ingredients and supplements or active compounds for the prevention and management of human metabolic diseases, examples of which include obesity, cholesterol and lipid distribution and diabetes. 

OptiBiotix has established a pipeline of microbiome modulators that can impact on lipid and cholesterol management, energy harvest and appetite suppression. The development pipeline is fuelled by its proprietary OptiScreen® and OptiBiotic® platform technologies designed to identify metabolic pathways and compounds that impact on human physiology and bring potential health benefits. These platforms are applicable across a wider range of other human diseases.

 

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