Mike Wilkinson, Ph.D., has been named executive vice president and chief information officer and Paul Colvin has been named executive vice president of global clinical development at PPD, Inc., effective June 30.

Dr. Wilkinson will provide strategic direction for PPD’s development and deployment of innovative ideas and technology and will oversee the integration of technology initiatives with process improvement, business analytics and global training programs.

David L. Grange, chief executive officer of PPD, commented, “The strategic operational knowledge that Mike Wilkinson brings to the CIO role will add an invaluable dimension in setting the direction for innovative technology and information processing that better supports our core clinical development businesses and ultimately the solutions our customers expect from us.”

For the past two years, Dr. Wilkinson served as executive vice president of global clinical development with responsibility for PPD’s Phase II-IV operations across North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific.

Mr. Colvin will assume the role previously held by Dr. Wilkinson, providing strategic leadership for global clinical development, including Phase II-IV operations. He previously served nearly three years as PPD’s senior vice president of clinical development for North America. He joined PPD after 14 years with Eli Lilly and Co. in a series of leadership roles that included overseeing clinical operations and global patient enrollment and providing direction for the cardiovascular brand team and oncology, critical care, primary care and neuroscience groups.