ECO Animal Health appoints bioinformatics expert to accelerate expansion in animal health markets

ECO Animal Health Group has appointed Dr Didier Branellec as an independent non-executive director, bringing extensive global experience in life sciences dealmaking to support its growth strategy amid market consolidation and innovation competition.

ECO Animal Health Group has appointed Dr Didier Branellec as an independent non-executive director with immediate effect, adding a senior life sciences dealmaker to the board as it pursues expansion in new products and markets.

Dr Branellec is currently senior vice president, business alliances at BioNTech, where he leads global partnerships and major alliance transactions. He has also advised the healthcare investor Archimed on opportunities in animal health.

Before BioNTech, he was vice president for global strategy, business development and digital at Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, after holding a wider corporate strategy role spanning animal health, human pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing. Earlier, he spent 15 years at Merial, the former Sanofi animal health business, where he led business development and helped complete more than 50 transactions, including licensing deals, commercial agreements and mergers and acquisitions.

David Hallas, ECO Animal Health’s chief executive, said Dr Branellec’s international experience and transactional track record would support the company’s growth ambitions. Dr Branellec said ECO was well placed for its next phase of growth through self-developed products, market penetration and in-licensing opportunities.

The appointment comes as animal health groups continue to compete for innovation, distribution and strategic partnerships in a market shaped by consolidation and the search for higher-margin products.