Brent Saunders.
DUBLIN, Ireland and IRVINE, Calif.—Yesterday, Actavis plc (NYSE: ACT) announced the senior management team that it plans to lead the global pharmaceutical company following the successful close of the acquisition of Allergan, Inc. (NYSE: AGN), anticipated in the second quarter of 2015.

Brent Saunders, continuing as Actavis CEO, president and a member of the board of directors, will lead an expanded senior management team comprised of leaders from both Actavis and Allergan. Paul Bisaro will remain executive chairman of the board of directors of Actavis.

Saunders announced that Allergan’s president, Douglas Ingram, will continue as a special advisor to him following the close of the acquisition. The company also noted that it anticipates continuing to define the subsequent management levels as quickly as possible between now and the close of the acquisition.

"The management structure will capitalize on the value of Allergan's world-renowned businesses and the proven track record of the leaders of its powerful and critically important franchises,” Saunders said. “The combined company will benefit from Doug's experience and expertise as we unite the two businesses, and it will help us ensure that we integrate the two companies while recognizing and capitalizing on Allergan's unique product portfolio and market leadership positions. In this structure, we demonstrate our commitment to combine the 'best of the best' talent from both organizations.”

Following the close, Actavis will structure its global brand sales and marketing into three organizations—International Brands, Branded Pharma and Allergan Medical. Paul Navarre, Allergan corporate VP and president Europe, Africa and the Middle East, will become EVP, Actavis, and president, international brands. William Meury, Actavis EVP for North American brands, will become EVP, Actavis, and president, branded pharma, with responsibility for eyecare, neurosciences, gastroenterology, urology, women's health and other specialty brand portfolios. Philippe Schaison, Allergan corporate VP, president, Allergan Medical, will become EVP, Actavis, president, Allergan Medical, which will include facial aesthetics, medical dermatology, plastic surgery and SkinMedica. All will report directly to Saunders.

With commercial operations in more than 100 countries, the combined company is committed to investing more than $1 billion in brand product development, according to the announcement. Brand pharmaceutical R&D for the combined company at close will be led by Actavis’ C. David Nicholson, PhD, senior VP, global brand R&D, in the role of EVP, branded R&D. He will also report directly to Saunders.

"At close, this combined leadership will ensure that the new company capitalizes on our expanded global commercial footprint, maintains our continued dominance as a world leader in generics and that we elevate our commitment to brand innovation and development by making brand R&D directly report to the CEO level,” Saunders said.

The combined company is expected to have more than two dozen mid- and near-term products in development and will maintain a focus on the strategic development of innovative and durable value-enhancing brand products. According to the announcement, the company is committed to maintaining Allergan's R&D expertise in its therapeutic categories, which is additive to Actavis, and reiterated that it intends to maintain a strong commitment to R&D activities at Allergan's Irvine, Calif., location and continued investment in its development portfolio.

To support the larger and more complex company, Actavis announced the senior management team for its global functions, which will also report directly to Saunders. Maria Teresa (Tessa) Hilado will serve as EVP, CFO, for the combined company. Robert Bailey will serve as EVP, chief legal officer and corporate secretary. Karen Ling, will serve as EVP, chief HR officer; Charlie Mayr will serve as EVP, chief communications officer; Sigurd Kirk will serve as EVP, corporate business development; and Jonathan Kellerman will serve as EVP and global chief compliance officer.

Finally, the company announced that Alex Kelly, Actavis Sr. VP and chief integration officer, and Sanjiv Patel, Allergan corporate VP, global strategic marketing and global health outcomes strategy and research, will share jointly in the responsibility for pre-integration planning. Patel will also continue in his current role leading the Allergan global strategic marketing and global health outcomes research and strategy organization. Both Kelly and Patel will report to Saunders.

“We are committed to realizing the full potential of the historic combination of Actavis and Allergan, beginning on day one, and announcing the proposed leadership of the combined company is a critical step in achieving that objective," said Saunders, who explained the reason for announcing the planned leadership now: "Although we are acting rapidly in announcing these appointments, we are making them following extensive discussions with David Pyott, chairman and CEO of Allergan, and his executive leadership team. We believe that by announcing the proposed structure of the combined organization our shareholders, customers and employee teams will better appreciate our commitment to create the most dynamic company in growth pharma and will share our confidence in seamless execution of this combination beginning on day one."