Press Releases

 New COO Adds International Experience and Clinical Operations Depth to Emmes’ Portfolio

Rockville, MD, December 15, 2022 – Emmes, a global, full-service Clinical Research Organization (CRO) dedicated to supporting the advancement of public health and biopharmaceutical innovation, today announced that Wendy Buckland will join the company as its chief operating officer, leading global operations.

Prior to her new position at Emmes, Buckland headed PPD’s neuroscience therapeutic unit where she was responsible for strategy, client satisfaction, operational delivery, profitability and talent development, as well as oversight for all clinical development programs in neuroscience and ophthalmology.

Emmes Chief Executive Officer Dr. Christine Dingivan said, “Wendy has an outstanding reputation with an impressive track record for building high-performing teams and leading client accounts. Her depth in clinical operations in many different parts of the world will add immediate value to our leadership and operations team.”

Before being named head of the neuroscience business unit in 2014, Buckland held four different vice president roles at PPD over a period of nearly seven years: clinical development, Latin America; governance, risk and compliance; global quality and compliance; and strategic partnerships. Her prior clinical operations posts included senior positions overseeing Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Australia, followed by responsibility for emerging regions in Latin America and Asia.

Dr. Dingivan added, “The range of positions Wendy has held will have a direct, positive impact on Emmes as we expand globally and add more biopharma research work. Her involvement in neurology, ophthalmology, rare disease, and cell and gene therapy is important too, as we continue to expand our presence in these important therapeutic areas.”

Buckland began her career at PPD in 1998 as clinical operations manager in Johannesburg, South Africa. Previously, she spent eight years at Novartis in South Africa.  Buckland holds a pharmacy bachelor’s degree from the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa, and a diploma in business management from the Damelin Management School.

Buckland said, “I’m very fortunate to have the opportunity to join the leadership team for this new chapter at Emmes. I am inspired by its strong commitment to public health and impressive track record of customer loyalty. I look forward to deploying my varied experience in operations, finance, quality, and customer engagement to help Emmes grow and expand our business in new areas, while continuing to innovate in service for our customers.”

Buckland will join Emmes in early 2023 after she concludes other commitments.

About Emmes

Founded more than 45 years ago, Emmes is a global, full-service Clinical Research Organization dedicated to excellence in supporting the advancement of public health and biopharmaceutical innovation. The company’s clients include numerous agencies and institutes of the U.S. federal government and a wide range of biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical device companies throughout the world. To learn more about how our research is making a positive impact on human health, go to the Emmes website at www.emmes.com.