Pharmaceutical Market Europe • February 2021 • 38-40
APPOINTMENTS
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
JANET WOODCOCK
Janet Woodcock has been named acting commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Woodcock began her career at the FDA in 1984, when she joined the agency’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) as director of the division of biological investigational new drugs. Following this, she became director of the Office of Therapeutics Research and Review in the CBER. Between 1994 and 2005, Woodcock then served as the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) director, where she led many of the FDA’s drug initiatives. In 2007, she returned to her role as director of CDER. Most recently, she has worked as part of the US government’s Operation Warp Speed, as part of the efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kite
FRANCESCO MARINCOLA
Kite, a Gilead company, has appointed Francesco Marincola as senior vice president and global head of cell therapy research. Marincola joins Kite from Refuge Biotechnologies, where he was president and chief scientific officer. Previously he served as a distinguished research fellow in immune-oncology discovery at AbbVie and as chief research office at Sidra Research.
Valneva
PERRY CELENTANO
French speciality vaccine company Valneva has appointed Perry Celentano as interim chief operating officer. Celentano has a wealth of experience in the pharma and vaccines industries, including time spent at Merck, Novartis and Dynavax. At Valneva, he will support the company’s expansion of its manufacturing site in Livingston, Scotland, where he will also be based.
Moderna
JOSÉ VEGA
Moderna has appointed José Vega as chief safety officer. Vega joins Moderna from Merck, where he led the global clinical safety and pharmacovigilance organisation and served as the chief safety officer for Merck Research Laboratories. Prior to Merck, he spent ten years at Amgen where he worked as vice president, global safety for over five years.
Eisai
RICHARD WOODMAN
Eisai has appointed Richard Woodman as chief clinical officer of its oncology business group. Woodman has 18 years of pharma experience in several different functional areas. Prior to Eisai, he served as chief medical officer and head of research and development at Onconova Therapeutics. Before Onconova, Woodman worked at Swiss pharma company Novartis for 12 years.
Purespring Therapeutics
RICHARD FRANCIS
Purespring Therapeutics has appointed Richard Francis as chief executive officer. Francis has over 25 years’ experience in building life sciences companies. He most recently held the role of chief executive officer of Sandoz, the generics division of Novartis. Before that, France worked at Biogen, where he held global and country leadership positions during his 13-year stint at the company.
MorphoSys
SUNG LEE
German biopharm company MorphoSys has appointed Sung Lee to the role of chief financial officer. Lee has more than 20 years’ financial leadership experience in biopharmaceutical and technology businesses. He joins from Sangamo Therapeutics, where he also served as chief financial officer. Prior to this, he spent nearly 14 years at Gilead Sciences, mainly in a number of financial roles.
Viravaxx
HELMUT BRUNAR
Helmut Brunar has joined Viravaxx as the company’s new chief executive officer. Brunar has many years of experience working with vaccines, cell therapies and diagnostic products. Prior to joining Viravaxx, he managed supply chain activities at Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine programme. Before this, he was chief executive officer and chairman at Axentis Pharma.
Destiny Pharma
STEPHANIE BEWICK
Brighton, UK-headquartered Destiny Pharma has appointed Stephanie Bewick as chief business officer. Bewick brings 20 years of experience in business development at private and public biotech companies as well as mid-sized pharma companies to Destiny. She has worked as both a consultant and in-house during her career. Most recently, she was vice president, business development at Summit Therapeutics.
Ipsen
GWENAN WHITE
Gwenan White has joined Ipsen as executive vice president, communications and public affairs. Prior to joining Ipsen, White was the global head of pharma communications and patient advocacy at Novartis. During her career, she has held a variety of roles in public affairs, corporate and science comminations, patient advocacy and marketing at AbbVie and GlaxoSmithKline.
Mundipharma
JULIE DEHAENE-PUYPE
Julie Dehaene-Puype has been appointed chief commercial officer, Europe at UK-based pharma company Mundipharma. Dehaene-Puype joins Mundipharma from Takeda, where she was recently general manager of France. She has over 20 years of industry experience, gained from Takeda, Merck and Schering Plough, where she held roles in the US, EU and Canada.
Mundipharma
ERIK NORDKAMP
Mundipharma has also appointed Erik Nordkamp as chief commercial officer, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Middle East-Africa (LAM). Nordkamp has over 20 years of experience in strategy, general management and marketing at Pfizer and Eli Lilly. Most recently, he was regional VP and cluster lead Europe/Australia/New Zealand for Pfizer’s Upjohn Division.
Antibiotic Research UK
SIMON DUKES
Simon Dukes has been appointed chair designate of the board of trustees at Antibiotic Research UK (ANTRUK). Currently, Dukes is CEO of the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC). Prior to this, Dukes was chief executive of the UK’s Fraud Prevention Service, Cifas. Earlier in his career, he spent two decades working in the UK public sector.
ONK Therapeutics
MARY REILLY
ONK Therapeutics has appointed Mary Reilly as its new chief operating officer. Reilly has over 30 years of experience across all aspects of global drug development and company operations. Prior to joining ONK, she was consultant chief operating officer at Swedish biotech BioInvent International. Reilly also previously held senior leadership roles at Elan Pharmaceuticals and Taro Pharmaceuticals.
Evox Therapeutics
JOHN MCHUTCHISON
Evox Therapeutics has appointed John McHutchison to its board of directors. McHutchison is a highly experienced life sciences executive with expertise across multiple therapeutic areas. Currently, he is chief executive officer of Assembly Biosciences. Prior to this, he spent nine years at Gilead Sciences, where most recently he was chief scientific officer and head of research and development.
Celyad Oncology
MARINA UDIER
Marina Udier has joined the board of directors at Celyad Oncology. Udier currently serves as chief executive officer of Nouscom, after joining as chief operating officer in 2016 from Versant Ventures. Prior to Versant, she held various senior development and commercial roles at Novartis at its headquarters in Basel, Switzerland, including as global commercial head.
Galecto
ANNE PRENER
Galecto has appointed Anne Prener to its board of directors. Prener has over 25 years’ leadership experience within life sciences companies. Currently, she serves as chief executive officer of Imbria and has previously served as chief executive officer of Freeline and Gyroscope Therapeutics. Earlier in her career, she was global therapeutic head of haematology and vice president, clinical research haematology at Baxalta.
Modulus Oncology
TIM EDWARDS
Sheffield, UK-headquartered biotech company Modulus Oncology has appointed Tim Edwards as chairman. Edwards has a wealth of experience in the biotech sector. Currently, he serves as executive chair of Karus Therapeutics, non-executive chair of Storm Therapeutics and director of AstronauTX Limit. Previously, he served as a governing board member of InnovateUK, the UK’s innovation agency.
Artios Pharma
ANDREW MUNCEY
Artios Pharma has announced that Andrew Muncey will take on the role of chief operating officer. Muncey has worked at Artios since 2016, most recently serving as its UK-based chief financial officer. He has over 20 years of management experience in biotechnology and a background in investment banking as well as capital markets and corporate finance.
Artios Pharma
ABID ANSARI
Abid Ansari has also joined Artios Pharma as chief financial officer. Ansari has 18 years of finance experience in life sciences business. Most recently, he served as chief financial officer of Precision BioSciences. Ansari also worked at GlaxoSmithKline for five years in deal finance and portfolio management roles. He also held a number of capital finance roles at MedImmune.
Sapreme
HENRIK LUESSEN
Henrik Luessen has been appointed as chief business officer at Dutch biotech company Sapreme. Luessen joins from Tytonis, where he held the role of managing director. Prior to this, he was chief business officer at the Belgian biotech company Promethera Biosciences. Earlier in his career, Luessen worked as director, business development at German pharmaceutical company Activaero.
Ashfield Health
AMAR URHEKAR
Amar Urhekar has been appointed as global president of Ashfield Health. Prior to joining Ashfield Health, Urhekar spent over 18 years at McCann Health, with his most recent role having been president of the Americas. Prior to this, he served in the role of president, Japan and EVP, Asia Pacific at McCann Healthcare Worldwide.
3 Monkeys Zeno
AVRIL LEE
3 Monkeys Zeno (3MZ) has appointed Avril Lee to the role of head of healthcare, UK and EU. Lee joins 3MZ from The Red Consultancy, where she worked as head of health since 2019. Prior to this, she was deputy chair of Burson-Marsteller’s global healthcare practice. She has also held senior roles at agencies including MSL and Ketchum.
Golin London
KAT ARNULL
Golin London has appointed Kat Arnull as UK group chief strategy officer for Golin and Virgo Health. Arnull has formally joined Golin following a 12-month period of consultancy at the agency. Prior to this, she worked at Freuds and has over 20 years of experience working in communications. She also worked on the launch of government behaviour change campaigns.
Aurora
CHRIS BATH
Aurora has promoted Chris Bath to the role of managing director. Bath joined Aurora in 2015 and achieved rapid promotion to the agency’s management team. Prior to Aurora, he worked at GCI Health, where he held the role of account director. Earlier in his career, Bath served as a senior account executive of Red Door Communications.
Porterhouse Insights
DAVID EATWELL
Porterhouse Insights has appointed David Eatwell as director. Eatwell brings formidable strategic capabilities, having been a director at Cello Health Insight, and previously having led the Quantitative Centre of Excellence at McCann Health. Porterhouse Insights is part of global imc group, whose innovative omnichannel communications drive behavioural change among healthcare professionals to improve patient health.
Lucid Group
VICTORIA LAWSON
Lucid Group has appointed Victoria Lawson as scientific director. Most recently, Lawson worked at Fishawack, serving in the role of scientific advisor. In addition, she spent two years working at Darwin Healthcare Communications – initially as a principal medical writer before moving onto the role of scientific advisor. Earlier in her career, Lawson was a postdoctoral researcher at Cancer Research UK and NIMR.
Wilmington Healthcare
MIKKO FIGURA
Wilmington Healthcare has appointed Mikko Figura as head of digital. Figura joins Wilmington from the Brain Tumour Charity, where he also worked as head of digital. Prior to this, he was UK digital marketing manager for Pfizer for a period of two years, where he developed the digital strategy for its UK Rare Diseases Business Unit.
Lucid Group
ANNEKA WATTS
AND KIRSTY HENSON
Joining Lucid Group’s HealthCare21 team are Anneka Watts (pictured) and Kirsty Henson, who have both been appointed as senior account executives. Prior to Lucid, Watts worked as an account executive at iMed Comms, an Ashfield agency. Henson joins from WRG Live, a division of The Creative Engagement Group. Prior to this, she worked at integrated medhealth communication (imc).
Lucid Group
EDA AKSOY
AND NAOMI STANHOPE
Eda Aksoy has also joined Lucid in its Unity team as an account executive. Prior to joining Lucid, Aksoy worked at Synergy Promotions as a sales assistant. She also has an MSc degree in Clinical Neuroscience, as well as a BSc degree in Neuroscience from UCL. Naomi Stanhope also joins Lucid’s Unity team as an account executive.
Onyx Health
JENNA SEED and HANNAH RILEY
Healthcare communications agency Onyx Health has appointed Jenna Seed as account director. In this role, Seed will be tasked with overseeing Onyx’s digital and social media communications strategy direction. Also joining Onyx is Hannah Riley, who has been appointed as account executive at the agency. Riley’s previous experience includes working at Multi Media Creative as a client manager.
Onyx Health
HENRYK KITT
AND RACHEL ALEXANDER
Onyx health has also welcomed Henryk Kitt and Rachel Alexander to its Newcastle-based team. Kitt has been appointed as a creative artworker, having gained a Bachelor of Arts in Design for industry at Northumbria University. Alexander has also joined the agency's creative team, having been appointed to the role of designer. She also joins with previous experience in design.
Onyx Health
MAXINE KNIGHT
Rounding out the appointments at Onyx is Maxine Knight,
who joins as a consultant healthcare storyteller and content writer. Prior to joining Onyx, Knight worked as a freelance healthcare content and copywriter. She is an experienced content creator for the healthcare industry, having worked for over seven years at the NHS as a research ethics manager.