Merck said July 8 it appointed Deborah Telman as general counsel for Organon & Co., the Kenilworth-based company’s intended spinoff of its women’s health, legacy brands and biosimilars businesses.

Telman will act as senior legal advisor to the board of directors, chief executive officer and senior management and will be responsible for the company’s worldwide legal affairs, compliance and global environmental health and safety.

She will join Organon from San Diego-based Sorrento Therapeutics where she served as senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary leading the legal, compliance, human resource and quality functions.

She’s spent more than two decades in senior executive roles at several global companies including Abbott, Johnson Controls and Boeing; and brings experience in mergers and acquisitions, including a major pharmaceutical spinoff with Abbott at the time of its spin from AbbVie.

“Deb’s proven leadership, industry knowledge and expertise will serve Organon employees, customers and shareholders well,” said Merck CEO and Chairman Kenneth Frazier in a statement. “Her counsel will help set the new company on a path to positively impact the lives of patients and improve public health.”

Telman’s appointment marks another important milestone as Merck prepares Organon & Co. to operate independently starting in the first half of 2021.