Hospira Appoints Operations SVP

John B. Elliot has been named senior vice president of Operations at Hospira, Inc. Mr. Elliot will have overall responsibility for the company’s global operations and will serve as a member of Hospira’s senior leadership team, reporting to F. Michael Ball, chief executive officer. Under Mr. Elliot’s leadership, Hospira will work to advance its plant remediation strategies and create additional manufacturing capacity, including the construction of a new 1.1 million sq.-ft. facility in India.

“John is a seasoned global leader with more than 35 years of broad manufacturing experience across production, logistics and supply, and specific expertise in injectable pharmaceuticals,” said Mr. Ball. “With his proven track record in driving improvements in quality, service and operational effectiveness, we’re confident John will have an immediate, positive impact as we continue our efforts to deliver high-quality, cost-effective products to customers and ultimately establish our manufacturing operations as a strategic, competitive advantage.”

Mr. Elliot previously served as president and chairman at Cherokee Pharmaceuticals, LLC (acquired by Merck & Co.), a U.S.-based active ingredients manufacturing company, where he led the organization from start-up to become a significant competitor in the contract manufacturing marketplace. Prior to Cherokee, he spent 26 years with GlaxoSmithKline, most recently serving as senior vice president. During his tenure, he held various roles of progressive responsibility.