Leigh-Ann Durant

About Leigh-Ann Durant

Leigh-Ann Durant is a Certified Corporate Governance Professional and a distinguished leader in the legal and biopharmaceutical sectors with an accomplished career spanning nearly three decades. In addition, she has served on numerous for-profit corporate and non-profit boards as Chairman, President, Director, and Committee Chairs across a variety of industries, geographies and scales, including biopharmaceuticals, start-up companies, the legal profession, philanthropic organizations, and local community organizations. She was named a 2023 Semi-Finalist for the \"50 Women to Watch for Boards\" List and a 2024 Lawyers of Distinction in Governance. Leigh-Ann has a proven track record of strong corporate governance experience as an Independent Corporate Director, as well as extensive experience bringing discipline to governance of start-ups, and strong legal, corporate, compliance, and ethics oversight for boards. Her vast experience has made her instrumental in guiding companies through the intricacies of drug development and corporate governance. Leigh-Ann has extensive experience building and leading high-performing legal teams, particularly in the US, while also managing global responsibilities. Her tenure at EMD Serono, Inc, as Head of North America Governance, Head Lawyer for US R&D, and Associate General Counsel, stands as a testament to her strategic acumen and her ability to serve as a trusted advisor on matters of critical importance.In her role at EMD Serono, Leigh-Ann leads the day-to-day operations of the North America Medical Governance Office for all therapeutic areas in the US and Canada. As Head Lawyer for US R&D, Leigh-Ann oversaw all research, clinical, and US medical affairs within the US.Earlier in her career as a Partner at Nixon Peabody LLP, Leigh-Ann showcased her expertise in complex commercial litigation within the healthcare sector. She founded and chaired the firm\'s HIPAA Task Force and was recognized for litigating high-profile cases including Massachusetts\' first medical privacy class action case. Leigh-Ann\'s passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion is evident through her ongoing efforts to reduce disparities in healthcare for patients. Leigh-Ann\'s dedication to advancing these causes is reflected in her active participation with multiple non-profit organizations focused on civil rights and social action. Leigh-Ann Durant continues to be a beacon of leadership and expertise within the legal and biopharma community, embodying the qualities that define exceptional corporate governance professionals.

Experience

1. Head of North America Medical Governance

   EMD Serono, Inc.

   Jul 2018 — Present · Billerica, MA

Education

• Bentley University

  Mini-MBA for BioPharma Executives, Executive Education Program

  2017

• Miami University

  Bachelor of Arts - BA

• University of Innsbruck, Austria

  International Law and the European Union

  1990 — 1991

• Suffolk University Law School

  J.D.

  1989 — 1992

• Bentley University - McCallum Graduate School of Business

  Master of Business Administration - MBA

  2021 — 2023