Carl Icahn scored two victories in his ongoing battle with biotech company Imclone Systems Inc. as the company announced Friday he was chosen to head the committee searching for a new chief executive and his selection for new board member was approved.

Icahn, who owns about 14 percent of the drugmaker, has been waging a campaign to oust some board members he believes have done a deplorable job running the company. Among his criticisms was the failure of the board to lure a talented industry executive to ImClone's helm and to fully capitalize on the promise of cancer drug Erbitux, the company's only product.

On Thursday, the board appointed Icahn head of the committee to select a new CEO. ImClone spokesman David Pitts said the board agrees with Icahn that the company needs a CEO with biotech experience.

Interim CEO Joseph Fischer has a contract that extends through 2007, but Pitts said the company wasn't necessarily expecting him to stay that long.

Additionally, Dr. Peter S. Liebert, a nominee chosen by Icahn, was named to the company's board of directors. Liebert is chief of pediatric surgery at Stamford Hospital in Stamford, Conn., and since 1981, has been clinical associate professor of surgery at the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Columbia University.

Liebert's appointment follows weeks of squabbles between the company and Icahn. In September, he filed a proxy to remove six of ImClone's 12 board members. This month two of Icahn's targets _ Chairman David M. Kies and board member William W. Crouse _ resigned. Icahn is still seeking the removal of the other four.

With Liebert's appointment, Imclone said it would reduce the size of its board to 11 directors from 12.