Just a day after releasing disappointing third quarter results, Morrisville, N.C.-based eClinical company etrials named a new president and CEO, M. Denis Connaghan, replacing interim president and CEO Chuck Piccirillo. Piccirillo, who will resume his position as vice president of technology, has served as interim CEO since the resignation of Eugene “Chip” Jennings in July. Connaghan was formerly managing director within Marsh USA’s Global Operations.

Other personnel news from the clinical trials industry:

Oncology CRO Averion appointed Alison Messom, Ph.D., Global Head, Project Management. Messom will oversee all aspects of project management focusing on strategy, training and enhanced procedures within Averion’s Clinical Operations Management Team. Prior to joining the Southborough, Mass.-based company, Messom was executive director, Clinical Monitoring International, at i3 Research.

Kendle, WuXi Pharmatech and Encorium all appointed new board members. Kendle reappointed its former executive vice president and chief financial officer (CFO) Timothy Mooney to its board, effective immediately. Mooney served as CFO for Kendle from 1996 until his retirement in 2002. Chinese CRO WuXi appointed Ying Han, former CFO and executive vice president at Asiainfo, to its board of directors, and Wayne, Pa.-based Encorium named Shahab Fatheazam its newest board member. Fatheazam is currently a managing director and head of the U.S. healthcare practice of GCA Savvian, an international investment banking advisory firm.   

Gateway for Cancer Research, an international not-for-profit organization that funds translational clinical trials for cancer treatment, appointed Lynette Bisconti as the company’s new president. A breast cancer survivor, Bisconti served for several years as a member of the Patient Advisory Council at Cancer Treatment Centers of America and on the Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization (now the Breast Cancer National Network of Strength).