L.A. Opera board adds Keith Leonard, Courtney Reum

Los Angeles Opera is adding two prominent members of the local business community to its board of directors.

The company is expected to announce Monday that Keith R. Leonard Jr., president and chief executive officer of Kythera Biopharmaceuticals, and Courtney Reum, an entrepreneur and co-founder of Veev Spirits, have joined the organization.

The opera board was expected to elect the new members during a meeting on Monday afternoon.

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Leonard, who served in the U.S. Navy before embarking on a career in pharmaceuticals, is a co-founder and top executive of Kythera, which is based in Westlake Village. In June, it was announced that the company would be acquired by Allergan, the maker of Botox, for $2.1 billion.

In the spring, Kythera received approval from the Food and Drug Administration for Kybella, its treatment for the fat that causes double chins.

Reum co-founded the Beverly Hills-based Veev Spirits with his brother, Carter, in 2007. The liquor company uses acai berries in its signature spirit and prides itself on environmental awareness. Courtney Reum was recently appointed a commissioner for the Los Angeles Convention Center & Tourism Authority.

Marc Stern, the opera’s chairman, said in a statement that he is “excited about the energy and vision that Keith and Courtney will bring to L.A. Opera, as we continue to build Los Angeles into a world-class destination for the arts.”

Other recent board appointees include former county Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and Metropolitan Opera Chairwoman Ann Ziff.

Twitter: @DavidNgLAT

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