Rigel Pharma Chairman And CEO James Gower Retires; Names Raul Rodriguez CEO

(RTTNews) - Rigel Pharmaceuticals Inc. (RIGL) announced that James Gower is retiring from the board of directors and from his positions as chairman and chief executive officer.

The company also noted that Raul Rodriguez, most recently serving as the company's president and chief operating officer, will assume the position of chief executive officer and join the board of directors.

Gary Lyons, a member of Rigel's Board of Directors since 2005, will become chairman. Gower is expected to remain an employee until the end of the year and, thereafter will be a consultant to the company providing advice on strategy, business development and other matters.

Rodriguez joined Rigel in April 2000 as vice president of business development. He was named executive vice president and chief operating officer in June 2004, and has been president and chief operating officer since May 2010. Before joining to Rigel, Rodriguez held senior management, business development and operations roles at Ontogeny, Inc. and Scios, Inc. He began his career at G.D. Searle & Company.

Lyons became a member of the board of directors of Rigel in October 2005. He serves on the board of directors of Neurocrine Bioscience, Inc., after having been the founding President and Chief Executive Officer from 1993 to 2008. Lyons also serves as a member of the board of directors and as a strategic advisor to a number of public and private biotechnology companies.