Agilent Marries Life-Sci And Diagnostics, On Eve Of Measurement Spinout

Agilent Technologies said today it has combined its life sciences group with its diagnostics and genomics business within the portion of the soon-to-divide company that will focus on life sciences, diagnostics, and applied markets.

The new life sciences and diagnostics group will be headed by Lars Holmkvist, who will carry the titles of president for the combined group and retain his svp position with Agilent, effective immediately. He was previously president of Agilent's old diagnostics and genomics group as well as an Agilent svp.

Holmkvist joined Agilent in June 2012, when Agilent acquired Dako-;of which he had been president and CEO since 2009. Before joining Dako, Holmkvist served as president, Europe, for Applied Biosystems, where he was later promoted to president, international, with responsibilities for all commercial operations outside the United States.

The new combined group will be one of two businesses that constitute the new Agilent. The other is the chemical analysis group, which will be led by Mike McMullen, who like Holmkvist is a current group president and Agilent svp.

The president of the old life sciences group, Nick Roelofs, "will leave Agilent to pursue other business opportunities," Agilent said in a statement that did not thank him for his service or make any further mention of Roelofs.

"We are creating a new Agilent with a simplified structure that can move quickly to develop and deliver industry-leading total workflow solutions for our customers," Agilent president and CEO William (Bill) Sullivan said. "Lars is the ideal leader for the new group with his years of experience, depth of market knowledge, and superb leadership style."

Agilent also promoted another executive with the old diagnostics and genomics group, naming vp, global product supply Henrik Ancher-Jensen to president of a new Agilent order fulfillment unit and an svp position. Ancher-Jensen will succeed Gooi Soon Chai, who will join the new the electronic measurement company that Agilent also said today it will spin out from the current company.

This article was reprinted from Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN) with permission from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN) has retained its position as the number one biotech publisher around the globe since its launch in 1981. GEN publishes a print edition 21 times a year and has additional exclusive editorial content online, like news and analysis as well as blogs, podcasts, webinars, polls, videos, and application notes. GEN's unique news and technology focus includes the entire bioproduct life cycle from early-stage R&D, to applied research including omics, biomarkers, as well as diagnostics, to bioprocessing and commercialization.