Will Delaat

Recent Speaker

Chairman Medicines Australia

December 10, 2008

"Address to the National Press Club"

Will Delaat is the Chairman of Medicines Australia, the peak body for Australia’s innovative pharmaceuticals industry.


In a career spanning 35 years with three different multi-national companies, he has worked in a variety of roles both in Europe and Australia, including sales & marketing and business development. He was Managing Director for Merck Sharp & Dohme Australia for 11 years, until his retirement earlier this year.


Will has been on the Board of Medicines Australia since 1997, and was previously Chairman from 2003 to 2005.  During this time he co-chaired the taskforce which implemented the pharmaceutical provisions of the AUS Free Trade Agreement.  He is currently chair of the Pharmaceuticals Industry Council.


He is also a member of the Pharmaceuticals Industry Strategy Group, which will report in December this year to the Minister for Innovation, Senator Kim Carr, on a blueprint for a sustainable pharmaceuticals industry in Australia.


Will  is co-chair of the joint Industry-Department of Health Access to Medicines Working Group (AMWG) which earlier this year presented its interim report to Government to improve timely access to medicines for Australian patients.


This year Will became a Director of Australian specialty pharmaceutical company, Pharmaxis Ltd.