INC Research, LLC, a therapeutically focused clinical research organization with a trusted process for delivering reliable results, announced that as part of a planned succession chief operating officer Jamie Macdonald will become the company’s next president and CEO. Macdonald has been central to the leadership of INC Research over the past year and is a key architect of the company’s growth strategy. Chairman and CEO James T. Ogle will continue to serve as chairman of the company. Promoted to the role of COO is Alistair Macdonald, president, Clinical Development Services, who brings nearly 20 years of experience in the CRO industry to his new position, including 10 years with INC Research. Ogle, Jamie Macdonald and Alistair Macdonald will assume their new roles January 1, 2013.

Ogle recently completed his ninth year as CEO of INC Research and has served as a member of the company’s Board of Directors since 2003. He has spent 25 years in the CRO and biopharmaceutical industries following completion of a distinguished military career during which he achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, United States Army.

“On behalf of the Board of Directors, we would like to take this opportunity to recognize Jim Ogle’s tremendous contributions to INC Research,” said David Burgstahler, president and partner, Avista Capital Partners and INC Research Board member. “During his tenure, the company grew from 225 employees to nearly 5,000 today across six continents, with customers including all of the top 10 biopharmaceutical companies worldwide.” Jane Rowe, senior VP, Teachers’ Private Capital, noted, “Over the past year, Jim has led INC Research through the successful integration of a number of significant acquisitions, accelerating the company to the world’s sixth largest clinical research outsourcing provider while earning recognition as the highest-rated CRO for consistent quality delivery. We thank him for his service and look forward to his continued leadership and counsel as chairman of the company.”

“I am proud of our accomplishments during my time at INC Research and the efforts of our many talented employees across the globe who are dedicated in their efforts every day to help our customers bring new life-saving and life-enhancing therapies to market,” said CEO James Ogle. “With integration behind us and INC Research solidly positioned for the future as a top-tier CRO, now is the time for me to transition away from the day-to-day leadership of the company and into the role of chairman.”  He continued, “A results-driven leader, Jamie Macdonald brings to the CEO position proven CRO industry operational and financial leadership experience, exceptional strategic insight and a relentless drive to achieve service excellence for our customers. We have every confidence in his ability to navigate INC Research through the next phase of our growth as we expand our leadership position.”

“I am thrilled to lead INC Research at this exciting time as we continue to further build our organization and leverage our enhanced global scale, therapeutic capability and proven trusted process to compete for increasing strategic alliance and partnership opportunities with our customers,” said Jamie Macdonald. “I look forward to working closely with Jim to ensure a smooth transition and with our global leadership team to execute on our strategic plans to drive long-term exceptional value for our customers and shareholders.”

Jamie Macdonald joined INC Research as COO in 2011 as part of the company’s acquisition of Kendle, where he served in this same capacity. He has more than 15 years of senior management experience in operational and financial roles in the CRO and biopharmaceutical industries. Prior to joining Kendle, Macdonald served as senior VP and Head of Global Project Management at Quintiles with direct responsibility for a team that delivered approximately $2 billion in annual service revenue. While at Quintiles he held a number of executive-level roles, including senior VP, North American Clinical Operations; VP/GM, Early Development and Lab Services; and CFO, Global Early Development and Lab Services. Macdonald earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland, and is a UK qualified Chartered Management Accountant. He will report to the INC Research Board of Directors and will serve as a Director of the Company.

Alistair Macdonald currently serves as president, Clinical Development Services for INC Research, providing global leadership for the company’s site start-up, regulatory consulting and submissions, drug safety, early phase, clinical innovation, global clinical operations management and operations management areas as well as its Latin America region and functional service provider unit. Macdonald is based in Camberley, UK, and has nearly 20 years of experience in the pharma industry and has held senior management positions in manufacturing, consultancy, business and corporate development, data management and clinical operations. He joined INC Research in 2002 and prior to his current role served as head of the company’s oncology therapeutic business unit. He also has experience in leading several other operational and support functions across the INC organization, serving as senior VP, Biometrics and executive VP, Business Development and Marketing. As COO, Macdonald will report directly to Jamie Macdonald.