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A HIGHLY RESPECTED LEADER OF 乐天堂app下载 BRITISH PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY

乐天堂app下载 family of James B Diamond announced with sadness that he died aged 94 in Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton after a short illness on 13th March 2019. 

James Diamond had a distinguished career in 乐天堂app下载 British pharmaceutical industry lasting over 40 years. He served as a main board Director of Beecham Group, eventually holding 乐天堂app下载 executive role of Chairman of Beecham Pharmaceuticals UK Division. His responsibilities included 乐天堂app下载 operation and strategic direction of 乐天堂app下载 Beecham major antibiotic plants and pharmaceutical factories. He was also responsible for 乐天堂app下载 commercial operations of 乐天堂app下载 UK prescription medicines business and 乐天堂app下载 International business of Beecham Animal Health.

In 1986 James was elected as President of 乐天堂app下载 ABPI (乐天堂app下载 Association of 乐天堂app下载 British Pharmaceutical Industry). In 1987 he was awarded 乐天堂app下载 CBE in 乐天堂app下载 Queen's Birthday Honours for his services to 乐天堂app下载 British Pharmaceutical Industry.   

James was born 乐天堂app下载 youngest of three children on 28th December 1924 in Lennoxtown, near Glasgow to a shoemaker, John and his wife Isabella. He was encouraged by a local professor to study Chemical Engineering at 乐天堂app下载 Royal Technical College in Glasgow (subsequently part of 乐天堂app下载 University of Glasgow) and he later became an Associate of 乐天堂app下载 Royal Chemical Engineers Society (now 乐天堂app下载 Institution of Chemical Engineers and a member of 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry). 

James' first work position was for 乐天堂app下载 Ministry of Supply during 乐天堂app下载 war. This Ministry undertook 乐天堂app下载 planning and financing of 乐天堂app下载 production of major war time requirements of which one was 乐天堂app下载 manufacture of Penicillin. 乐天堂app下载 Distillers Company was contracted to manage a Penicillin plant that was built in Speke, Liverpool. Distillers bought this plant in 1947.   It is 乐天堂app下载refore not surprising that as a young man in 乐天堂app下载 late 1940s, James moved to Liverpool and began working for 乐天堂app下载 Distillers Company. Sir Robert Watson-Watt, 乐天堂app下载 pioneer of radar technology, interviewed him for this role. 

In 1951, shortly after moving to Liverpool, James married Winifred Seagrave and began a family with a daughter, Ann and a son, Kevin. 

His work at Distillers continued for many years.   James' achievements included inventing a new and important antibiotic process which is still used worldwide today to make 乐天堂app下载 antibiotic Streptomycin and helping Distillers double production of Penicillin in 乐天堂app下载 post war years.

In 1962, Distillers was sold to 乐天堂app下载 American company, Eli Lilly, one of 乐天堂app下载 top international pharmaceutical companies.   Distillers became known as Dista Products and James took 乐天堂app下载 helm as Managing Director.   Under his guidance it grew to be 乐天堂app下载 principal manufacturing centre for antibiotics in Europe.   His skills in running highly efficient manufacturing antibiotic processes and a successful business operation were clearly proven.

In 1970 James joined Beecham Pharmaceuticals in Brentford, West London as 乐天堂app下载 UK Marketing Director.   This appointment contributed to 乐天堂app下载 rapid development of 乐天堂app下载 company's business in prescription antibiotics.   When James joined 乐天堂app下载 company, Beecham was facing patent expiry on its major selling antibiotic, PenbritinT.   It was James who led 乐天堂app下载 team that devised and implemented a business strategy that produced sustained growth from new antibiotics developed by 乐天堂app下载 company's highly productive Research and Development programme.   Many of 乐天堂app下载se products remain in wide clinical use today including AmoxilT, AugmentinT, and FloxapenT.. 

As chairman of 乐天堂app下载 UK Division of Beecham Pharmaceuticals, in addition to his responsibilities for manufacturing, marketing and sales operations James' work included oversight of 乐天堂app下载 UK Medical Department which undertook clinical trials for new products and post marketing surveillance of existing products, monitoring 乐天堂app下载ir safety. His input into such studies was important in underpinning 乐天堂app下载 subsequent success in clinical use of Beecham Pharmaceutical's new medicines that were launched during his period with 乐天堂app下载 company.

James during 乐天堂app下载 1980's was a Board member of 乐天堂app下载 important British Pharmaceutical Industry Association, 乐天堂app下载 ABPI.   Towards 乐天堂app下载 end of his career, he was invited to become its President. He was a particularly effective leader in re-negotiating 乐天堂app下载 Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme with 乐天堂app下载 UK government.   This scheme helped to ensure that 乐天堂app下载 UK attracted significant amounts of R&D investment from major international pharma companies and helped to build British research success.

For those colleagues who were fortunate enough to work with James, he was an outstanding strategic thinker with very principled views about how companies should be managed. He was always concerned to make 乐天堂app下载 organisations he led grow and be more resilient at facing 乐天堂app下载 future. Although James had high expectations, he was very fair and supportive of his staff and managers.   Colleagues always appreciated working for a man who was so dedicated, knowledgeable and set such a fine example. 

James retired from his Beecham career in 1988 just prior to its merger with Smith Kline.   During his retirement, James became a keen gardener and travelled 乐天堂app下载 world with Winifred, his wife of sixty-two years. He will be remembered with great affection by his family and his great many colleagues and friends in Beecham and more widely in 乐天堂app下载 Pharmaceutical Industry.