ALMAC GROUP LIMITED - Key Persons


Alan Armstrong - CEO, Chairman

Job Titles:
  • CEO
  • Chairman
  • Member of the Executive Team
Alan was a Graduate Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry in 1981. He joined Galen Research Laboratories in 1978 in the quality control department where he took over as Quality Assurance Manager in 1982. Alan held a number of senior management operational and technical positions until 1995 when he was appointed to the Board of Directors of Galen Holdings Plc as Chief Operating Officer. In 2002 he retired from Galen Holdings and was appointed CEO of Almac Group. Alan oversees the entire Group's operations globally and leads the strategic direction of Almac. In 2013, he was awarded an OBE by the Queen for services to the economy in Northern Ireland.

Celine Bradley

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Executive Team
  • Deputy Managing Director & Global VP of Operations
Celine Bradley has a B.S.c (Hons) in Biochemistry and over 30 years' experience in the pharmaceutical industry in clinical trial supplies. Celine has held the position of Global VP of Operations in Almac Clinical Services since 1996 and was recently appointed Deputy Managing Director of Almac Clinical Services in 2013. Celine has overall responsibility for the Project, Manufacturing, Packaging and Logistics departments of Clinical Services.

Dr Dennise Broderick

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Executive Team
  • President & Managing Director, Galen
Together with Almac Group's Board of Directors, Dennise is responsible for all aspects of Galen operations, marketing and governance across its sites throughout the UK and Europe. Dennise is a highly successful, respected and inspiring Executive Business Leader, with an extensive career within the pharmaceutical industry. Most recently Dennise held the position of Country Manager, leading the Irish affiliate of IPSEN Pharmaceuticals and was responsible for all aspects of the business. Prior to this Dennise also held CEO/MD and senior leadership roles with Pfizer, Hospira, Zeneus, Viatris and other pharmaceutical companies both in Ireland and Europe.

Dr Katarina Wikstrom

Job Titles:
  • VP of US Operations
Dr. Katarina Wikstrom (PhD) has worked for over 14 years in the field of translational molecular oncology and holds the position of Head of US Operations at Almac Diagnostic Services. Katarina has overall responsibility for all US laboratory technologies and services supporting biomarker discovery, assay development and validation, and product delivery. Katarina obtained a PhD in experimental pathology from Lund University, and subsequently completed a postdoctoral fellowship on the molecular mechanisms of prostanoid signaling in vascular haemostasis and oncology at University College Dublin. Since joining Almac in 2009 Katarina has built up a breadth of experience in the biomarker field with particular focus on assay development and validation.

Dr Leeona Galligan

Job Titles:
  • VP of UK Operations
Dr. Galligan (PhD, FRCPath) has worked for over 15 years in the field of translational molecular oncology and holds the post of VP UK Operations at Almac Diagnostic Services where she has overall responsibility for all laboratory based technologies and services supporting Almac Diagnostic Services' biomarker discovery, development and delivery. Prior to joining Almac in 2009, Dr. Galligan obtained a PhD in molecular haematology from Trinity College Dublin. She subsequently completed a postdoctoral fellowship on the molecular mechanisms of drug resistance in colorectal cancer at Queen's University Belfast and has completed a 4 year training programme in specialist haemato-oncology laboratory services. She maintains registration with the UK Health and Care Professions Council as a Clinical Scientist and has been awarded Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists (FRCPath) through examination in haemato-oncology and laboratory management.

Dr Robert Dunlop - Managing Director, President

Job Titles:
  • Managing Director
  • President
Robert Dunlop joined Almac Clinical Services in 1990 and has over 30 years' experience in the pharmaceutical industry. He obtained a PhD in Chemistry from Queen's University, Belfast and is a member of the Institute of Directors. Since 2001, Robert has been responsible for the strategic, financial and operational leadership of Clinical Services Business Unit.

Dr Stephen Barr

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Executive Team
  • & Almac Sciences' Managing Director
  • President & Managing Director, Almac Sciences & Almac Discovery
Almac Discovery & Almac Sciences' Managing Director, Dr Stephen Barr, joined QuChem Limited in 1994 as a synthetic chemist, having completed a two year Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Queen's University of Belfast. Prior to his post doctoral studies he finished top of his year and graduated with a first class honours degree in Biological Chemistry from the University of Ulster at Coleraine. Being one of only 20 students in Northern Ireland to be granted a distinction award from DENI (The Department of Education) he subsequently undertook and completed a PhD in Organic Chemistry at Queen's under the supervision of Prof. Derek Boyd. In 1997, he was appointed as Technical Manager at QuChem and played a major role in the development of new business. Following the merger of QuChem Ltd and Syngal to form Almac Sciences, he was promoted to Vice President with full responsibility for all technical operations, becoming Managing Director in 2001.

Dr Stewart McWilliams

Job Titles:
  • Global VP of Quality & Regulatory Affairs
Stewart McWilliams leads the Quality Management and In vitro Diagnostic Regulatory affairs activities at Almac Diagnostic Services. The team work with the pharmaceutical industry on the Quality and Regulatory aspects of CDx Development and Commercialization. This team are also responsible for Almac Diagnostic Services' Laboratory Quality Management systems ensuring compliance with ISO13485, CLIA (Federal and New York State CLEP), ISO15189 and the College of American Pathologists accreditation requirements. Stewart studied in Queens University Belfast where he attained his degree and PhD in Molecular Oncology before postgraduate work at The Welcome Trust Center in Dundee. Stewart has managed the implementation of various Quality Management Systems including ISO13485, GCP, CAP accreditation, New York State CLEP and CLIA. He is also Almac Diagnostic Services Designated Individual for the purposes of the UKs Human Tissue Act.

Dr. Laura Knight

Job Titles:
  • VP of Data Sciences
Dr. Laura Knight is VP of Data Sciences within Almac Diagnostic Services. In this role, she leads a Department of Bioinformatics Scientists, Statisticians, and Software Developers providing technology integration and benchmarking, and supporting Almac Diagnostics Services's Clients in the discovery, development and validation of biomarkers for clinical trial and CDx assays. Laura has a breadth of experience in the biomarker field with a strong interest in the application of machine learning techniques to gene expression data for biomarker discovery. Prior to joining Almac in 2009, Laura studied at Queen's University Belfast and received a 1st class Honours degree in Mathematics and Theoretical Physics before completing her Ph.D. in Mathematics and Statistics with applied Bioinformatics, also from Queen's University Belfast, where she currently holds an Honorary Lectureship position.

Graeme McBurney - COO

Job Titles:
  • Chief Operating Officer
Graeme graduated from Ulster University in 1990 with an HND in Applied Biology and an MSc in Manufacturing Management in 1994. Graeme joined Galen in July 1990 and was appointed Production Manager in July 1992. He became Production Manager for Ivex Pharmaceuticals Limited in January 1994 and was promoted to Operations Director in April 1997. In October 1999 he was appointed Group Operations Director for Galen, and in July, 2001 became Senior Vice-President for Manufacturing Operations. Graeme was appointed President and Managing Director of Almac Pharma Services in 2003 and in October 2022, was appointed to the Almac Board of Directors in the role of Chief Operating Officer.

John McQuaid - Managing Director, President

Job Titles:
  • Managing Director
  • President
John graduated from Ulster University with a BSc Honours degree. John first joined Almac Group in 1994 and has held a number of management roles across various business units during his tenure. In 2011 he was appointed to Vice President of Technical Operations within Almac Pharma Services where he was responsible for overseeing the strategic growth and development of the Pharmaceutical Development & Manufacturing service offering. John was promoted to President and Managing Director, Almac Pharma Services, in 2022 and is responsible for the strategic, financial and operational leadership of global business.

Michael Sloan

Job Titles:
  • Global VP of Commercial Operations
Michael Sloan is Global VP of Commercial Operations at Almac Diagnostic Services. He has full responsibility for the overall management of the company's business development activities and driving the growth of the company. Michael has a BSC in Commerce and an MSC in Corporate Leadership and was educated in the University of Birmingham, Napier University, Scotland and the Ivey Business School, Canada.rnHe has over 25 years in senior business development and management roles in the biotech and medical device sector. He has worked in both start up and multinational companies. His previous experience including Managing Director for BSN Medical UK a Smith and Nephew and Beiersdorf JV and Executive Director for Amtec Medical Ltd.rn

Niall Harkin

Job Titles:
  • Executive Director
Niall graduated from Queen's University, Belfast with a degree in Mathematics and Computer Science. He then qualified as a Chartered Accountant with PricewaterHouse before moving to Deloitte where he was a Director of Corporate Finance. His next move was to Resource Services Group as Group Finance Director. He left Resource Services Group in 2009 and joined Danske Bank, Belfast working as a Senior Corporate Banking Manager (Almac was one of his clients), then as Head of Business Acquisition followed by a number of senior positions within Danske Bank. Niall was appointed to the Almac Executive team as Group Finance Director in July 2019.

Paul Harkin - Founder, President

Job Titles:
  • Founder
  • President
  • Professor in Molecular Oncology Within the Cancer Research Center at Queen 's University Belfast
Professor Paul Harkin is Founder and President of Almac Diagnostic Services. In 2004 Almac Diagnostic Services was incorporated as a Division of the Almac Group and Professor Harkin was appointed as President and Managing Director with overall responsibility for the strategic, financial and operational leadership of the company. Paul is also a Professor in Molecular Oncology within the Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology at Queen's University Belfast where his research has focused on the role played by BRCA1 mutation in the development of hereditary breast cancer. Prior to this appointment he had been a Research Fellow in Medicine at Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts General Hospital where he developed his interest in the emerging field of precision medicine. Paul Harkin is a Professor in Molecular Oncology within the Cancer Research Center at Queen's University Belfast. Prior to this appointment he had been a Research Fellow in Medicine at Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts General Hospital where he developed his interest in the emerging field of Functional Genomics. Professor Harkin has published his work in some of the world's leading research journals and is a regular guest speaker at national and international conferences and Research Institutions. Prof. Harkin sits on several National committees and funding boards and acts as a reviewer for a number of major research journals.

Richard Kennedy

Job Titles:
  • Global VP of Biomarker Development
Professor Richard Kennedy is Global VP of Biomarker Development, Medical Director and CLIA compliant Laboratory Director at Almac Diagnostic Services. He is responsible for the application of the company's technology into medical practice. He graduated in medicine from Queen's University Belfast in 1995. As a post-graduate he trained as a medical oncologist and received a PhD in Molecular Biology in 2004. From 2004-2007 he worked as an instructor in oncology at Harvard Medical School, USA, where he identified novel biomarkers and drug targets for cancer treatment. In August 2007 he joined Almac Diagnostic Services as the director of a CLIA compliant diagnostics laboratory and has been involved in the biomarker design for several international clinical trials. In 2012 he established a research group in Queen's University Belfast focussed on various aspects of stratified medicine. Richard Kennedy currently sits on the CR-UK new agents committee, MRC Biomarkers steering group, the National Cancer Clinical Trials Steering Group, the Enterprise Ireland Technology assessment panel and the all-Ireland Breast Cancer Predict Consortium. Previously he was a member of the CR-UK biomarker steering group and the Breast Cancer Campaign scientific advisory board.

Sample Kit

Job Titles:
  • Design & Manufacturing

Sir Allen McClay

Northern Ireland lost its most passionate, visionary and generous man. Sir Allen McClay (Allen, as he preferred to be called) passed away on Tuesday 12th January, 2010.

Stephen Campbell

Job Titles:
  • Non - Executive Director
Stephen Campbell graduated with a BSc Honours degree in Economics in 1983 before qualifying as an Accountant. Stephen joined Galen in 1990 and was appointed to the Galen Board of Directors as Financial Director in 1991. Following flotation in 1997 Stephen became Company Secretary of Galen Holdings plc. Stephen became Financial Director of Almac in January 2002 and assumed the role of Non-Executive Director in August 2006.

Valarie Higgins

Job Titles:
  • President & Managing Director, Almac Clinical Technologies
  • President and Managing Director of the Clinical Technologies Business Unit
As President and Managing Director of the Clinical Technologies Business Unit, Valarie brings more than 20 years of experience in the Biopharmaceutical Development industry. Since joining Almac, Valarie has held numerous leadership roles including Vice President of Clinical Project Services, and Executive Vice President of Operations where she was charged with the development and execution of the company's long-term commercial and operational growth strategies. Valarie holds a Bachelor of Arts from Rutgers University, and is based in Almac's Souderton, Pennsylvania office.