Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc announced the appointment of a new independent director, Patrick Kennedy, to its Board of Directors. Mr. Kennedy, Chair and Governor of the Bank of Ireland, has been appointed to the Jazz Board and will serve on the Audit Committee effective March 1, 2024. Peter Gray has decided not to seek re-election to the Jazz Board at the next Annual General Meeting, expected in July 2024.
Mr. Kennedy's appointment reflects Jazz's ongoing focus on Board renewal, and his financial and operating expertise will further enhance the skill set of the Board. Following the departure of Mr. Gray, Jazz's Board will be comprised of twelve directors, four of whom have been appointed in the past five years. Half of Jazz's Board seats are held by members of diverse communities: female, of color, and/or LGBTQIA+.
Mr. Kennedy brings over 30 years of experience to the Jazz Board with a successful track record across a range of global businesses. He joined the Bank of Ireland's Board of Directors in 2010 and has served as its chair since 2018. Mr. Kennedy was the CEO of Paddy Power plc (now a part of Flutter Entertainment plc), a leading Irish brand, for nine years, was previously CFO of Greencore Group plc, and held prior roles with KPMG Corporate Finance and McKinsey & Company.
Mr. Kennedy served as a non-executive director of Elan Corporation plc, a biotechnology company, and of retailer ASOS plc. He is currently also the Chair and non-executive director of CarTrawler, a world-leading B2B technology platform for car rental and mobility solutions. Mr. Gray has served as a member of the Jazz Board since May 2013 and as chair of the Audit Committee since April 2014.
For nearly nine years, Mr. Gray served as CEO of ICON plc, a global provider of outsourced development services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries, and as chair of the Board of Directors of UDG Healthcare for eight years.