Allen McClay
Encyclopedia
Sir
Allen McClay, CBE
(21 March 1932 – 12 January 2010) was a Northern Irish
multi-millionaire businessman and philanthropist
who founded Galen (later Warner Chilcott
), a pharmaceutical company which was Northern Ireland's first one billion pound business. After resigning from Galen in 2001, he went on to form a second successful pharmaceutical company, the Almac Group
.
, County Tyrone
in 1932 and was the youngest of six children. He attended Cookstown High School
and Belfast College of Technology (now Belfast Metropolitan College) later qualifying as a pharmacist
in 1953 after apprenticeship
.
In 1955, he joined Glaxo, where he worked for 13 years as a medical rep, before founding his own company, Galen, in Craigavon
in 1968. He left Galen, which produces contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy
drugs, in 2001, having become unhappy with the company's direction after its London Stock Exchange
flotation in 1997. McClay retired from Galen on 31 September, and the following day rented accommodation close to the site Galen occupied for what would become his second successful company, Almac Sciences. McClay purchased five divisions of Galen Holdings plc. and formed Almac in January 2002. Almac provides services including research & development and manufacturing to other pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer
and GlaxoSmithKline
. The company, whose turnover is £167m, employs more than 1500 people in Craigavon and has expanded into England
, Scotland
and the United States
.
In 1973, McClay bought Connors Chemists, a pharmacy in Warrenpoint
, which developed into a chain of branches across the UK managed by his brother Howard, and was sold to The Boots Company in 1998.
s at the university's Cancer Research centre. The trust also funded the £3.5m McClay Research Centre at the School of Pharmacy which opened in 2002, and contributed money to the building of the new University Library at Queen's, which opened in 2009 and is now named after McClay. Sir George Bain
, a former vice chancellor at Queen's, has described McClay as "the most significant philanthropist Northern Ireland has ever known".
McClay was reported by the 2009 Sunday Times Rich List
to be Northern Ireland's sixth richest person, with wealth estimated at £190 million. In 2009, he used his wealth to establish the McClay Foundation, a charitable trust focused on cancer research.
McClay received an OBE in 1994, followed by a CBE
in 2000 for contributions to the pharmaceutical industry in Northern Ireland. In the New Year Honours List of 2006 he was made Knight Bachelor
for services to business and charity.
McClay married his partner Heather Topping in 2009 in the United States. He had no children. He died on 12 January at Hahnemann University Hospital
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
. He had been receiving treatment for cancer
.
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
Allen McClay, CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(21 March 1932 – 12 January 2010) was a Northern Irish
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
multi-millionaire businessman and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
who founded Galen (later Warner Chilcott
Warner Chilcott
Warner Chilcott is a pharmaceutical company based in Rockaway, New Jersey, USA. It has production and research facilities in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, Larne, Northern Ireland, Dundalk, Ireland and Weiterstadt, Germany. It is primarily focused on two core therapeutic areas: women’s healthcare and...
), a pharmaceutical company which was Northern Ireland's first one billion pound business. After resigning from Galen in 2001, he went on to form a second successful pharmaceutical company, the Almac Group
Almac
' is a contract research organization based in the United Kingdom. Headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland, the company employs about 3,300 in the United Kingdom and United States. The company provides integrated drug development services, research, manufacturing, to over 600 clients. Core...
.
Career
Dr. McClay was born in CookstownCookstown
Cookstown may refer to either of the following:*Cookstown, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland*Cookstown, Ontario, Canada*Cookstown, New Jersey, United States...
, County Tyrone
County Tyrone
Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
in 1932 and was the youngest of six children. He attended Cookstown High School
Cookstown High School
Cookstown High School is a combined High School and Grammar School in Northern Ireland. It is one of the largest in the area, falling within the Southern Education and Library Board area.- Site :...
and Belfast College of Technology (now Belfast Metropolitan College) later qualifying as a pharmacist
Pharmacist
Pharmacists are allied health professionals who practice in pharmacy, the field of health sciences focusing on safe and effective medication use...
in 1953 after apprenticeship
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
.
In 1955, he joined Glaxo, where he worked for 13 years as a medical rep, before founding his own company, Galen, in Craigavon
Craigavon
Craigavon is a settlement in north County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It was a planned settlement that was begun in 1965 and named after Northern Ireland's first Prime Minister — James Craig, 1st Viscount Craigavon. It was intended to be a linear city incorporating Lurgan and Portadown, but this plan...
in 1968. He left Galen, which produces contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy
Hormone therapy
Hormone therapy, or hormonal therapy is the use of hormones in medical treatment. Treatment with hormone antagonists may also referred to as hormonal therapy...
drugs, in 2001, having become unhappy with the company's direction after its London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
flotation in 1997. McClay retired from Galen on 31 September, and the following day rented accommodation close to the site Galen occupied for what would become his second successful company, Almac Sciences. McClay purchased five divisions of Galen Holdings plc. and formed Almac in January 2002. Almac provides services including research & development and manufacturing to other pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer
Pfizer
Pfizer, Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation. The company is based in New York City, New York with its research headquarters in Groton, Connecticut, United States...
and GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline plc is a global pharmaceutical, biologics, vaccines and consumer healthcare company headquartered in London, United Kingdom...
. The company, whose turnover is £167m, employs more than 1500 people in Craigavon and has expanded into England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
In 1973, McClay bought Connors Chemists, a pharmacy in Warrenpoint
Warrenpoint
Warrenpoint is a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the northern shore of Carlingford Lough and is separated from the Republic of Ireland by a narrow strait. The town sprang up within the townland of Ringmackilroy...
, which developed into a chain of branches across the UK managed by his brother Howard, and was sold to The Boots Company in 1998.
Philanthropy
McClay established the McClay Trust in 1997, a charitable organisation which "support[s] research and development activities within Queen’s University". The trust has donated £20 million to the university, which has included sponsorship of Ph.D studentshipStudentship
United StatesIn the US a studentship is similar to a scholarship but involves summer work on a research project. The amount paid to the recipient is normally tax-free, but the recipient is required to fulfill work requirements. Types of studentships vary among universities and countries....
s at the university's Cancer Research centre. The trust also funded the £3.5m McClay Research Centre at the School of Pharmacy which opened in 2002, and contributed money to the building of the new University Library at Queen's, which opened in 2009 and is now named after McClay. Sir George Bain
George Bain (academic)
Sir George Sayers Bain, a Canadian by birth born in Winnipeg and attended Miles MacDonell Collegiate, was President and Vice-Chancellor of Queen's University, Belfast, Northern Ireland from 1998 to 2004.- Biography :...
, a former vice chancellor at Queen's, has described McClay as "the most significant philanthropist Northern Ireland has ever known".
McClay was reported by the 2009 Sunday Times Rich List
Sunday Times Rich List
The Sunday Times Rich List is a list of the 1,000 wealthiest people or families in the United Kingdom, updated annually in April and published as a magazine supplement by British national Sunday newspaper The Sunday Times since 1989...
to be Northern Ireland's sixth richest person, with wealth estimated at £190 million. In 2009, he used his wealth to establish the McClay Foundation, a charitable trust focused on cancer research.
McClay received an OBE in 1994, followed by a CBE
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
in 2000 for contributions to the pharmaceutical industry in Northern Ireland. In the New Year Honours List of 2006 he was made Knight Bachelor
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
for services to business and charity.
McClay married his partner Heather Topping in 2009 in the United States. He had no children. He died on 12 January at Hahnemann University Hospital
Hahnemann University Hospital
Hahnemann University Hospital, established in 1885 and named after Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathy, is a hospital in Center City, Philadelphia. It is affiliated with Drexel University College of Medicine and serves as its Center City Hahnemann campus.-History:In 1993 Hahnemann...
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. He had been receiving treatment for cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
.
External links
- http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=9551210
- http://www.midulstermail.co.uk/news/SIR-ALLEN-McCLAY-DIES-IN.5977873.jp