February 26, 2001
Troy, N.Y. — The Rensselaer Board of Drustees elected James
C. Mullen, president and chief executive officer of Biogen, as
a new active trustee at its February board meeting over the
weekend. Mullen will serve a four-year term through December
2004.
“I am honored to be named to the board of trustees. I am
looking forward to being a part of the changes that are taking
place under the Rensselaer Plan. President Jackson is a new
energy for the Institute and her goal of establishing a
strength in biotechnology overlaps nicely with my professional
focus,” said Mullen.
Mullen was appointed president and chief executive officer of
Biogen, a global biopharmaceutical company and the world’s
oldest independent biotechnology company, in June 2000. He is
also a member of the Board of Directors. Mullen joined Biogen
as director, facilities and engineering, in 1989 and was named
vice president, operations, in 1992. From 1996-1999, Mullen
served as vice president, international, with responsibility
for building all Biogen operations outside North America. He
was named president and chief operating officer in January
1999.
During his 11-year tenure at Biogen, Mullen has been credited
with significant accomplishments. As vice president,
operations, he laid the manufacturing and distribution
groundwork to launch AVONEX® (Interferon Beta-la), Biogen’s
flagship product for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis, and
he successfully oversaw the creation of Biogen’s manufacturing
capability in both Cambridge, Mass., and Research Triangle
Park, N.C. As vice president, international, Mullen was the key
Biogen executive responsible for the successful registration
and launch of AVONEX® throughout Europe. AVONEX® is now
available in more than 30 countries worldwide, and Biogen is
the first biopharmaceutical company to launch a product on two
continents concurrently. Mullen is credited with creating
Biogen’s direct sales organization in Europe, the largest in
the biotechnology industry.
From 1980 to 1989, Mullen held a variety of manufacturing and
engineering positions at SmithKline Beckman (now SmithKline
Beecham), including director of engineering. He holds a B.S. in
chemical engineering from Rensselaer and an MBA from Villanova
University.
Print-quality photo available at
http://www.rpi.edu/web/News/Pressimgs/mullen.jpg
Contact: Patricia Azriel
Phone: (518) 276-6531
E-mail: N/A