PIONEER IN VETERINARY AND HUMAN PHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH RETIRES

After a storied career dedicated to improving the health and well-being of animals and people, Dr Alan Alexander has retired from the Estendart Research Centre (ERC) of Invetus NZ Ltd in Palmerston North, New Zealand. Alan touched many lives in many places, and his research expertise was widely recognised. Perhaps less well known was his entrepreneurial streak, which saw him both complete an MBA, and also chase new business by attending many “human” conferences, often the only veterinary researcher there, showcasing what he and his team could do.

Dr Alan Alexander, first in the first graduating class of the Veterinary Faculty, Massey University in 1968

Alan started his career as the first graduate of the newly established veterinary faculty at Massey University in 1968. After spending some time in mixed practice in New Zealand, he headed to Canada for post graduate study, where he completed an MSc in immunology and experimental surgery.

From there he spent five years at the forefront of commercialising embryo transplantation technology as a cattle breeding tool in several countries. In 1978, he was appointed senior lecturer in Poultry Pathology at Massey University and over the next four years also acted as a consultant to the major manufacturer of pig and poultry feed in New Zealand. During this time he completed an MBA. In 1982, Alan left Massey to become fully involved in pig and poultry disease management until 1986 when he returned to Massey as the first Director of the newly established Animal Health Services Centre.

This Centre was formed to help link the animal health industry and its interest in developing new veterinary products with access to the expertise and resources at Massey. When Alan left in 2000, the Animal Health Services Centre had grown to a professional organisation employing 22 staff members. In 2000, Alan was appointed Head of the Veterinary Clinical Trials Unit at Inveresk Research Ltd, Edinburgh (now Charles River Laboratories) ‒ a new company division that also grew into a successful contract research organisation in the UK under his leadership. In 2005, Alan was appointed Head of R&D, Australasia, for Novartis Animal Health, based in Sydney.

Alan was lured back to New Zealand in 2008 to transfer his extensive overseas experiences into Estendart Ltd, a company owned by Massey and formed from the original Animal Health Services Centre that Alan started. In 2010, Estendart became a privately owned company through an MBO, and in 2018 Estendart was purchased by Invetus Pty Ltd, and renamed the Estendart Research Centre.

‘Estendart’ is an old French term that means “raising the standard”, and Alan embodies this. His focus was always to push the boundaries of excellence, and it was largely due to his efforts that Estendart Ltd was the first organisation in New Zealand to become GLP (Good Laboratory Practice) compliant (1996 – OECD). The Vice-Chancellor of Massey at the time (Professor James McWha), commented:

“I did however want to take the opportunity of congratulating you personally. You have clearly been the major driving force behind the entire process as well as the success of your own laboratory.”

Another key focus for Alan was nurturing younger veterinarians and scientists, coaching them to achieve high quality research outcomes, with the well-being of animals front and centre. Alan commented:

Dr Alan Alexander with staff at Estendart Research Centre, October 2018

“When I look back over my professional life, I think one of my greatest contributions has been to develop critical thinking and analytical skills amongst my staff. I am always delighted when one of my “apprentices” develops skills and capability to the extent that they can teach me something new.”

Alan is well known to people in the animal health industry in New Zealand, Australia and beyond. Many of them have enjoyed debating the research question to be answered, discussing the pros and cons of different research approaches, and considering the contribution of the research result.

Angie & Alan Alexander

Life is not only veterinary research and commercial success for Alan; he has served the community through his work as a JP since 1990 and is also qualified as a professional arbitrator becoming a Fellow of both the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (London) and the Arbitrators and Mediators Institute of New Zealand. He also has a diploma in Dispute Resolution.

Alan will maintain his role on the board of Invetus and is quick to point out he sees his retirement as a comma, not a full stop.  He looks forward to contributing to projects where he can add value. We wish Alan and his wife Angie all the very best for a well-deserved next chapter of their lives.