Elanco Animal Health Incorporated (NYSE: ELAN) today announced that it has appointed two new independent directors, Kathy Turner and Craig Wallace, to its Board of Directors, effective immediately, expanding the Board to 14 members.
Ms. Turner brings significant global experience in both the animal health and broader healthcare industries. She has held senior leadership positions at IDEXX Laboratories, including most recently as Chief Marketing Officer, and served in various roles of increasing responsibility at Abbott Laboratories. Mr. Wallace is a well-respected animal health leader with more than 30 years of executive experience at companies such as Fort Dodge Animal Health, Trupanion and Ceva.
Elanco Chairman R. David Hoover said, “We are pleased to have reached an agreement with Ancora on a constructive path forward, and we look forward to working with Kathy and Craig toward our common goal of progressing our robust and innovative pipeline and driving near- and long-term sustainable growth and value for our shareholders.”
Ms. Turner and Mr. Wallace also joined the Board’s Finance, Strategy and Oversight Committee, which has been renamed to better reflect its charter and mandate.
“We are pleased to welcome Kathy and Craig, both accomplished animal health industry executives, to the Elanco Board,” said Jeff Simmons, President and CEO of Elanco Animal Health. “We are making meaningful progress as we continue to execute our Innovation, Portfolio and Productivity strategy, and we are confident that Kathy and Craig will be valuable additions to the Board.”
Frederick DiSanto, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ancora Holdings Group LLC, added: “After recent engagement with Elanco, we have aligned on a constructive agreement that adds two pet healthcare experts to the Board and one of its key committees focused on strategic planning. Craig and Kathy are proven industry operators with experience that can support ongoing efforts to advance the high-quality pipeline assembled by management. Our recent interactions with Elanco give us confidence that Jeff and the Board are focused on the right steps with respect to corporate governance and value creation.”
In connection with today’s announcement, the Company has entered into a Cooperation Agreement with Ancora Holdings Group LLC and its affiliates that contains customary standstill, voting and other provisions. The agreement will be filed on a Form 8-K with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
About Kathy Turner
Kathy Turner held senior leadership positions in international commercial operations at IDEXX Laboratories, a global pet healthcare innovation company, from 2014 to 2023, including most recently serving as Chief Marketing Officer. She brings deep understanding of veterinary clinic operations through her tenure with IDEXX. In her nearly 30-year tenure at Abbott Laboratories, a multinational medical devices and healthcare company, she held multiple leadership positions, most recently leading commercial operations for Europe. She is currently on the Board of Veterinarians Without Borders, an organization that promotes animal well-being, human health and economic development domestically and internationally.
About Craig Wallace
Craig Wallace is President of C.S. Wallace Investments & Strategy, LLC, an animal health and human healthcare investment firm. Mr. Wallace previously served as Chief Executive Officer (North America/Pacific) of Ceva Santé Animale, the fifth largest animal health company worldwide. He also held leadership roles at Trupanion, Inc., a pet insurance provider, and Fort Dodge Animal Health, a global manufacturer of animal health products for the livestock, companion animal, equine, swine and poultry industries. Additionally, he served on various boards of directors including the National Commission on Veterinary Economic Issues and the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor Advisory Board. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of 1C, a pet retail distributor, and KeraVet Bio, a veterinary wound care company.
About Elanco
Elanco Animal Health Incorporated (NYSE: ELAN) is a global leader in animal health dedicated to innovating and delivering products and services to prevent and treat disease in farm animals and pets, creating value for farmers, pet owners, veterinarians, stakeholders and society as a whole. With nearly 70 years of animal health heritage, we are committed to helping our customers improve the health of animals in their care, while also making a meaningful impact on our local and global communities. At Elanco, we are driven by our vision of Food and Companionship Enriching Life and our Elanco Healthy Purpose™ Sustainability Initiatives – all to advance the health of animals, people, the planet and our enterprise. Learn more at www.elanco.com.
