Brian Elliott - Executive Director of the MeTA Secretariat
Overview
Brian Elliott is the Executive Director of the MeTA Secretariat. He is experienced in brokering agreements between government, pharmaceutical and civil society representatives. In particular, he brings strong private sector experience to MeTA and will promote engagement with the pharmaceutical industry at national and international level. With 25 years experience in senior management positions in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, he has worked for many years in developing country and emerging market settings. He currently sits on the board of a number of pharmaceutical and biotech companies.
Background and relevant experience
Before joining the MeTA Secretariat, Brian ran a number of private companies. Most recently he founded Procela Consultants, providing business development and general management expertise to small and medium biopharma companies. Previously, he joined the Tibotec-Virco Group a Pharmabiotech venture at its foundation. He was appointed Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations and Corporate Alliances and Managing Director of Ireland operations responsible for all Group commercial activity. He was part of the team that negotiated the sale of the company to Johnson and Johnson.
Between 1996 and 2000, he worked as a consultant to UNAIDS and was deeply involved in the design and implementation of the UNAIDS Drug Access Initiative. As UNAIDS negotiator with the multinational providers of antiretrovirals he succeeded in securing the participation of Abbott, Janssen, BMS, GSK, Boehringer Ingelheim, Pfizer, Roche and Merck in the project. He then negotiated with Ministries of Health in the establishment of the UNAIDS Drug Access Initiative in Vietnam, Chile, Uganda and Cote d’Ivoire. Brian went on to found Axios International Consultants in 1997, initially to implement the Drug Access Initiative in the pilot countries and later to assist the multinational providers of Antiretroviral drugs in the establishment of drug access programmes in many developing countries. Axios now is the world leader in its field of expertise.
As International Trade Director for Middle East, Africa and West Asia with Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, a Johnson and Johnson company, he was responsible for production, sales, marketing and distribution operations in over 30 countries in that region. He negotiated many contracts for the provision of Janssen Drugs with Ministries of Health and the private sector and developed a strong understanding of drug purchasing and distribution.
He has travelled and worked extensively in Europe, North America, Africa, the Middle East and West Asia, including the UK, Belgium, Hungary, China, Vietnam, Chile, Uganda, Cote d’Ivoire, South Africa, Burkina Faso, Lesotho and Tanzania.