BUZZ-Shire claws back from 17-month low after CFO exit

(Updates share price, adds CEO share buying)

** Drugmaker Shire recovers some ground following Monday's 4% fall to a 17-month low on news CFO Jeff Poulton is leaving at the end of the year to join Boston-based plant technology start-up Indigo Ag

** Shire (Xetra: S7E.DE - news) up 2.6%, fourth-top FTSE 100 riser and extending earlier gains, after CEO buys >£300k of stock

** Poulton's move follows the departure of R&D head Phil Vickers in June and comes at a time when the company faces big challenges in its core haemophilia business and is considering spinning off hyperactivity drugs

** Jefferies analysts say "the timing is highly inopportune and serves to exacerbate already negative investor sentiment", but they conclude Poulton's exit is not due to internal conflicts on strategy or the company's outlook (Reporting by Ben Hirschler)