Expleo names Alan Gallagher to lead life sciences push

Expleo has appointed Alan Gallagher as Commercial Director of Life Sciences in Ireland, placing him in charge of market strategy for work with pharmaceutical and life sciences companies.

The role focuses on expanding commercial activity in the sector. Gallagher will lead new customer acquisition, identify target segments and drive revenue growth for Expleo's Irish business.

Sector focus

Expleo is a technology, engineering and consulting services provider, with projects spanning manufacturing and information systems. In life sciences, service providers typically support plant operations, validation and quality systems, data programmes and cybersecurity, alongside advisory work on operating models and compliance.

Gallagher's remit covers private sector organisations across Ireland. His responsibilities include promoting Expleo's technology and "best practice approach", and working with clients on tailored engagements.

Expleo says its life sciences work ranges from market intelligence to manufacturing efficiency initiatives. These programmes have become a priority for pharma and biopharma groups as they contend with shifting demand, supply chain constraints and increased scrutiny of data integrity and production controls.

Career background

Gallagher joins Expleo with more than a decade of industry experience. Most recently, he was Director of Business Development at Catalyx, which provides automation and manufacturing services to regulated industries.

Earlier, he worked as Sales Manager at TQS Integration, and later held a role at Cognizant after it acquired TQS.

He is a member of the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) Ireland affiliate and also participates in Biopharma Chem Ireland through Expleo. Gallagher holds a Bachelor of Commerce from University College Cork.

Growth agenda

The appointment comes as services firms compete for spending on modernisation programmes across Irish life sciences operations, including digital initiatives and factory upgrades. Ireland hosts a large concentration of multinational pharmaceutical manufacturing sites, alongside a growing ecosystem of suppliers and specialist consultancies.

Expleo positions itself as a partner for business transformation, with work that includes "AI engineering, digitalisation, hyper-automation, cybersecurity and data science". It also cites more than 40 years of experience across product development, manufacturing process optimisation and information systems quality.

Expleo reports a workforce of 17,000 people across 30 countries and revenue of more than €1.3 billion.

Gallagher highlighted the pressures facing the sector and the work he expects to pursue in the new role.

"Life sciences companies today face significant challenges, from complex regulatory requirements to rapidly evolving market pressures. As a global leader in engineering and consultancy, I look forward to leveraging Expleo's world-class expertise to navigate these challenges, empowering organisations through state-of-the-art solutions to drive innovation, growth and real value across their operations," said Alan Gallagher, Commercial Director of Life Sciences, Expleo.

He will oversee Expleo's market strategy for life sciences customers in Ireland, with responsibility for developing new relationships and expanding the company's footprint in the pharmaceutical and life sciences sector.