Robert Stewart to take helm following Amneal-Impax merger

NEW YORK — Merger partners Amneal Pharmaceuticals LLC and Impax Laboratories Inc. have tabbed Robert Stewart, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Allergan plc, to lead the combined company.

Plans call for Stewart to join Amneal as president effective Jan. 25. After Amneal and Impax finalize their merger, announced in mid-October, he will take the reins as president and chief executive officer of the newly named Amneal Pharmaceuticals Inc., as well as become a member of its board of directors.

Robert Stewart

“I am honored and excited to work with the Amneal and Impax teams. The combination creates a dynamic leader in generics and specialty pharmaceuticals, with a deep and rich pipeline of products and integrated global manufacturing platform for strong continued profitable growth,” Stewart said in a statement. “I look forward to leading the teams and helping the organization achieve its long-term goals.”

Meanwhile, with the departure of Stewart, Allergan said it has promoted Wayne Swanton to executive vice president of global operations. He currently serves as senior vice president of global operations.

The Amneal-Impax merger transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2018. When Stewart takes the helm at the combined company, Paul Bisaro, president and CEO of Impax, will become executive chairman. Amneal’s co-CEOs and co-founders Chirag Patel and Chintu Patel will serve as co-chairmen.

“We are excited that Rob will be joining Amneal. He is a great leader to inspire our team as we prepare for the expected combination with Impax and next phase of our growth in becoming a leading, affordable, health care company,” Chirag Patel stated.

Chintu Patel added, “Rob is a highly respected leader with a wealth of pharmaceutical expertise, which will further enhance our team of world-class leaders focused on creating value for patients, customers, employees and shareholders.”

Stewart is slated work closely with Amneal’s co-CEOs in leading the company’s current business and play a key role in the pre-integration planning work for the upcoming combination with Impax.

“Rob is the right executive to lead the combined company,” Bisaro commented. “He brings an ideal mix of strong operating leadership, deep experience in both the brand and generics sectors, and a proven track record of driving success and capturing synergies through numerous complex integrations. I look forward to working closely with Rob again and providing my full support to the integration effort as well as continuing to focus on creative long-term growth strategies.”

Overall, Stewart brings to Amneal 22 years of experience in global branded and generic pharmaceutical leadership, with expertise in all aspects of operations and integration. Before becoming Allergan’s COO in May 2016, he was president of generics and global operations from March 2015 to May 2016, COO from July 2014 to March 2015, and president of global operations from August 2010 to July 2014. He came to Allergan in November 2009 — then Watson Pharmaceuticals — as senior vice president of global operations. Prior to that, Stewart held a range positions with Abbott Laboratories Inc. from 1995 until 2009 and at Hoffman La-Roche Inc.

Wayne Swanton

At Allergan, Swanton will join the executive leadership team and maintain responsibility for global manufacturing, quality, supply chain, procurement, pharmaceutical technology, operational excellence, engineering, environmental health and safety, and security.

“Wayne Swanton has led our global operations team during a period of rapid change, including the acquisition of Forest Labs and Allergan, as well as the divestiture of our global generics business,” stated Brent Saunders, chairman and CEO of Allergan. “Through all of those changes, Wayne’s team has maintained high-quality standards, dramatically increased efficiency of our manufacturing operations and supply chain through operational excellence, improved on-time delivery of products to customers, provided increased value across Allergan through our procurement team while driving an industry leading environmental health and safety culture.”

Swanton previously served as senior vice president of global operations for Actavis plc, the name of the company prior to its February 2015 merger with Allergan. Before that, he was senior vice president of global manufacturing and supply chain at Actavis plc, vice president of supply chain at Actavis Inc. (formerly Watson); and held senior site director roles at Abbott Laboratories.

Saunders thanked Stewart for his contributions to Allergan.

“Rob Stewart has been a key part of the transformation of our company from a generic manufacturer to a leading branded pharmaceutical innovator over the past eight years,” Saunders commented. “During his time, he helped streamline manufacturing, enhance operational excellence, and played an instrumental role in integrating many companies into Allergan. Our focus on succession planning and Rob’s leadership in developing a strong bench has enabled us to have a smooth transition of his responsibilities.”