37 Appointments

The Emmes Group’s Board of Directors has appointed Rama Kondru as CEO. Kondru joined the Emmes Group in 2024 and most recently served as CEO of Veridix, the company’s AI, technology and data sciences business.

Kondru brings 25 years of experience across pharmaceuticals, healthcare technology, data science and academia, and has built technology-driven businesses that accelerate clinical development and improve patient outcomes. Prior to joining the Emmes Group, he served as Co-CEO of Medidata Solutions.

Earlier in his career, Kondru served as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Janssen Americas (Johnson & Johnson), and Vice President and Chief Information Officer for R&D and Innovation at Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices, and held leadership roles at UCB Pharma and F. Hoffmann-La Roche.

Engitix has appointed Sonia Quaratino in the newly created role of Executive Vice President (EVP) Chief Medical Officer (CMO). Quaratino has served as an independent non-executive Director on Engitix’s board since 2023 and will take responsibility for all aspects of the company’s clinical and medical strategy.

With more than 35 years of experience spanning immunology and oncology research, clinical development, and strategic leadership across biotechnology, pharmaceutical companies and academia, Quaratino brings deep expertise in chronic inflammatory diseases, autoimmunity and oncology.
Quaratino most recently served as EVP CMO at Innate Pharma, and CMO of Georgiamune and Kymab, as well as senior positions at Novartis and Merck KGaA.

Beam Therapeutics has appointed Eric Foster as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). Foster will lead Beam’s commercial organisation and strategy, and brings more than 25 years of commercial leadership experience across biotechnology and specialty pharmaceuticals and most recently served as CCO at Ardelyx.

Prior to that, Foster was senior VP and US general manager at Amgen following the acquisition of Horizon Therapeutics in October 2023. At Horizon, he was senior VP and general manager of the gout and ophthalmology business units.

Prior to that, from 2010 to 2021, Foster held roles of increasing responsibility in sales and marketing at GlaxoSmithKline across a variety of immunology and rare disease products, including as VP of immunology marketing, senior global marketing director and field sales VP.