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Jul 13, 2020

Merck hires general counsel for spin-off business

Spin-off transaction scheduled to complete in first half of 2021, according to company

Kenilworth, New Jersey-based Merck has picked Deborah Telman to be the general counsel of Organon & Co, its intended spin-off of the company’s women’s health, legacy brands and bio-similars businesses.

The company describes the appointment of a general counsel as an ‘important milestone’ in preparations for Organon & Co to operate independently. The spin-off transaction is scheduled for completion in the first half of 2021.

In her new role, Telman will be senior legal adviser to the board, CEO and senior management, with responsibility for the company’s global legal, compliance and environmental health and safety matters. She will join Organon from Sorrento Therapeutics where she has been senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary, heading up the legal, compliance, human resource and quality functions.

Her previous experience includes holding senior roles at Abbott, Johnson Controls and Boeing.

‘Deb’s proven leadership, industry knowledge and expertise will serve Organon employees, customers and shareholders well,’ says Merck chair and CEO Kenneth Frazier in a statement. ‘Her counsel will help set the new company on a path to positively impact the lives of patients and improve public health.’

Ben Maiden

Ben Maiden is the editor-at-large of Governance Intelligence, an IR Media publication, having joined the company in December 2016. He is based in New York. Ben was previously managing editor of Compliance Reporter, covering regulatory and compliance...