Silence Therapeutics PLC Silence Therapeutics Announces Board Changes (0194X)

TIDMSLN

RNS Number : 0194X

Silence Therapeutics PLC

25 April 2019

Silence Therapeutics Strengthens Board with Key Appointments

Iain Ross appointed as Chairman of the Board of Directors

James Ede-Golightly appointed as a Non-Executive Director

April 25, 2019

LONDON, Silence Therapeutics, PLC (LON: SLN) ("Silence" or "the Company") a leader in the discovery, development and delivery of novel RNA therapeutics for the treatment of serious diseases, is pleased to announce that Iain Ross has joined as a Non-Executive Director and Chairman of the Board of Directors with immediate effect. Silence also announces that James Ede-Golightly has joined as a Non-Executive Director and that Stephen Parker is stepping down as a Non-Executive Director, both with immediate effect.

Iain Ross is a highly experienced board director with a career in the international life sciences and technology sectors that spans 40 years. He held senior commercial roles at Sandoz, Fisons and Hoffman La Roche before moving into the biotechnology sector where he was Chairman and CEO of several international biotechnology companies. Currently he is Non-executive Chairman at Kazia Therapeutics Limited, e-Therapeutics plc and Redx Pharma plc. Mr Ross is a qualified Chartered Director, Fellow of the Institute of Directors and Honorary Fellow of Royal Holloway, London University. He previously served as Chairman of the Board of Silence Therapeutics, from 2005 to 2010.

James Ede-Golightly joins Silence with extensive experience in finance, technology and company direction. He is currently Chairman of DeepMatter Group Plc and Oxford Advanced Surfaces Ltd and Non-executive Director at Oxehealth Limited. Mr Ede-Golightly was a founder of ORA Capital Partners in 2006, prior to which he worked as an analyst at Merrill Lynch Investment Managers and Commerzbank. Mr Ede-Golightly is a Chartered Director, a Chartered Financial Analyst and holds an MA in Economics from the University of Cambridge. In 2012 Mr Ede-Golightly was awarded New Chartered Director of the Year by the Institute of Directors.

Dr. David Horn Solomon, Chief Executive Officer of Silence Therapeutics, commented:

"I'm very pleased to welcome Iain Ross and James Ede-Golightly to the Board of Directors. Iain brings with him extensive healthcare and governance experience and I am looking forward to working with him to build significant value for shareholders, patients and their caregivers. I would also like to thank Stephen for his service as a valued Board member and advisor."

Iain Ross, Incoming Chairman of the Board of Directors at Silence Therapeutics, commented:

"I am delighted to be returning to Silence Therapeutics and I look forward to working with David, the new management team and all stakeholders. With a renewed strategy in place and a return to the clinic imminent I believe Silence now represents a fundamentally transformed value proposition and I am excited to work with the team and to bring some stability to the Board to deliver on its potential."

The following information is disclosed pursuant to Schedule Two, paragraph (g) of the AIM Rules for Companies:

Full name and age: Iain Gladstone Ross (aged 65)

Iain Ross does not currently hold any shares in Silence.

Current Directorships or Partnerships:

   --      Biomer Technology Limited 
   --      E-Therapeutics plc 
   --      Gladstone Consultancy Partnership 
   --      Gladstone Partners Limited 
   --      Kazia Therapeutics Limited 
   --      Redx Anti-Infectives Ltd 
   --      Redx Immunology Limited 
   --      Redx MRSA Limited 
   --      Redx Oncology Ltd 
   --      Redx Pharma plc 
   --      Rosscard Leisure Limited 

Previous Directorships or Partnerships:

   --      Aldershot Town Football Club Limited 
   --      Amarantus Bioscience Holdings Inc 
   --      Anatara Life Sciences Ltd 
   --      Benitec Biopharma Limited 
   --      Factor Therapeutics Europe Limited 
   --      Pharminox Limited 
   --      Premier Veterinary Group plc 
   --      Smartspace Software plc 
   --      Tissue Therapies Limited 
   --      Yellowcross Limited 

Iain Ross joined the board of Redx Pharma plc on 1 May 2017. On 24 May 2017, Redx Pharma plc and Redx Oncology Ltd were put into administration by Liverpool City Council as a result of non-payment of an outstanding loan of GBP2m and shares in Redx Pharma plc were suspended. On 3 November 2017 Redx Pharma plc and Redx Oncology Ltd exited administration with all creditors paid and trading in Redx Pharma plc resumed, under the Chairmanship of Iain Ross.

No further information in connection with the appointment of Iain Ross is required to be disclosed under Schedule Two, paragraph (g) of the Aim Rules for Companies.

Full name and age: James Lawrence Ede-Golightly (aged 39)

James Ede-Golightly does not currently hold any shares in Silence. James Ede-Golightly is a director of Serendipity Capital Limited, a Guernsey registered company whose sole beneficiary is Richard Griffiths. Serendipity Capital Limited holds 9,325,156 Silence shares. Richard Griffiths has an overall beneficial holding of 20,952,867 shares (29.5%).

Current Directorships or Partnerships:

   --    Deepmatter Group plc 
   --    Dunheved Limited 
   --    East Balkan Properties plc 
   --    Gulfsands Petroleum plc 
   --    Oxehealth Limited 
   --    Oxford Advanced Surfaces Limited 
   --    Sarossa plc 
   --    Serendipity Capital Limited 

Previous Directorships or Partnerships:

   --    Fermain Capital Limited 
   --    Gulfsands Petroleum Limited 
   --    Gulfsands Petroleum Holdings Ltd 
   --    Gulfsands Petroleum Tunisia Ltd 
   --    Gulfsands Petroleum Sud America Ltd 
   --    Gulfsands Petroleum Iraq Ltd 
   --    Gulfsands Petroleum MENA Ltd 
   --    Gulfsands Petroleum  Levant Ltd 
   --    Gulfsands Petroleum Morocco Ltd (registered in the Cayman Islands) 
   --    Gulfsands Petroleum Morocco Ltd (registered in Cyprus) 
   --    Oraelean Trading Systems Ltd 
   --    ORA (Guernsey) Limited 
   --    ORA Limited (Jersey) 
   --    ORA Limited (Guernsey) 
   --    Osceola Production LLC 
   --    Osceola Royalties LLC 
   --    Plant Health Care plc 
   --    Quoram Limited 

No further information in connection with the appointment of James Ede-Golightly is required to be disclosed under Schedule Two, paragraph (g) of the Aim Rules for Companies.

Enquiries:

 
 Silence Therapeutics plc                          Tel: [phone] 
  Dr David Horn Solomon, Chief Executive Officer    6900 
  Iain Ross, Chairman 
  Peel Hunt LLP (Nominated Adviser and Broker)     Tel: [phone] 
   James Steel/Oliver Jackson                       8900 
 European IR                                       Tel: +44 (0) 20 
  Consilium Strategic Communications                3709 5700 
  Mary-Jane Elliott/Chris Welsh/Angela Gray 
  [e-mail] 
 US IR                                              Tel: [phone] 
  Westwicke Partners 
  Peter Vozzo 
  [e-mail] 
 

About Silence Therapeutics plc

Silence Therapeutics is developing a new generation of medicines by harnessing the body's natural

mechanism of RNA interference, or RNAi, within its cells. Its proprietary technology can selectively

inhibit any gene in the genome, specifically silencing the production of disease-causing proteins. Using

its enabling delivery systems, it has achieved an additional level of specificity by delivering its

therapeutic RNA molecules exclusively to target cells. Silence's proprietary RNA chemistries and

delivery systems are designed to improve the stability of our molecules and enhance effective delivery

to target cells, providing a powerful modular technology well suited to tackle life-threatening diseases.

For more information, please visit: https://www.silence-therapeutics.com/

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact [e-mail] or visit www.rns.com.

END

BOAFZLLLKZFXBBB

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

April 25, 2019 02:01 ET (06:01 GMT)