The 'Lowdown' on C-suite appointments in 2024
Chief Executive Officers (CEOs)
Tom brings nearly 30 years of experience in clinical research and drug development. Currently serving as Chief Executive Officer at Cognitive Research Corporation, Tom has held key leadership roles across the clinical research and pharmaceutical industries, including Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President positions. He has extensive expertise in CNS drug development, clinical trial strategy, and operational leadership. With a proven track record of overseeing global teams and driving innovation, Tom has played a pivotal role in bringing over 30 drugs to market and advancing clinical trial excellence in competitive markets.
- Paula Brown Stafford – CEO, Allucent
Paula brings over 35 years of leadership in clinical research and drug development. Now CEO of Allucent, she previously served as President of Clinical Development at Quintiles and as Chairman, President, and CEO of Novan, Inc., where she drove strategic growth and innovation. Paula is also a Co-Founder of Habergeon LLC and an Adjunct Professor at UNC Chapel Hill. Her expertise spans clinical operations, business development, and advancing global healthcare innovation.
Lloyd brings over 25 years of leadership experience in the healthcare and life sciences sectors. Currently serving as Chief Executive Officer at Southern Star Research, he has previously held key roles, including Director at Cognizant and General Manager at Device Technologies. Lloyd's expertise spans clinical research, medical devices, biotechnology, and international business development. With a proven track record of strategic leadership and operational excellence, he has successfully guided organizations in advancing healthcare solutions and driving growth in competitive global markets.
- Mahesh Bhalgat – Group CEO, Veeda Lifesciences
Mahesh, Group CEO of Veeda Clinical Research, leads the integration of a multinational CRO through strategic M&A, advancing novel therapeutics and generics. With over 20 years of leadership at Syngene, Sanofi, and Amgen, he has expertise in operations, P&L management, regulatory strategy, and technology transfer, driving innovation in clinical research and biotechnology.
Chief Operating Officers (COOs)
Fady, Chief Operating Officer at PDC CRO, brings over 15 years of experience in clinical operations and trial management. Previously, Fady held leadership roles at Novartis, including Trial Monitoring Head for Lebanon, Jordan, the Gulf, and Saudi Arabia, where he was responsible for the successful execution of Phase I-IV trials, team development, and operational efficiency. Fady's expertise includes clinical research strategy, oncology development, and building high-performing teams across diverse regions. He is a skilled change agent, driving organizational transformation and aligning global and local strategies.
- Kim Boericke – COO, Veristat
Kim is the Chief Operating Officer at Veristat, overseeing global operations and the successful delivery of drug development programs. She manages project budgets, profitability, and resource utilization, ensuring timely and high-quality deliverables. Kim has a strong background in strategic oversight and business development, having held leadership roles at THREAD, ICON plc, Quintiles, and i3 Research. She has been responsible for operational delivery, profitability, sales, and customer satisfaction across various clinical services, and has consistently identified new business opportunities while optimizing internal processes. Kim also served on the board of Mapi Research Trust.
- Amira Modi – Group COO, Sygnature Discovery
Amira is the Group Chief Operating Officer at Sygnature Discovery, overseeing global operations. She has extensive experience in business strategy and operations within the life sciences industry, having led global go-to-market strategies and sales enablement teams at IQVIA. Amira has also held senior roles at GSK, including Global Marketing Director for Nucala and Chief of Staff for Global Pharmaceuticals. Additionally, she has worked as an independent consultant advising private equity-backed pharma and CROs.
- Sonam Bhuptani – COO, Vial
Sonam is currently the Chief Operating Officer at Vial, after serving as Vice President of Operations and General Manager within the company. Before joining Vial, she worked as a Fixed Income Trader at Morgan Stanley for three years.
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Chief Business Officers (CBOs)
- John O'Brien – CBO, P95
John is currently the Chief Business Officer at P95, where he oversees clinical and epidemiology research solutions with a focus on vaccines and infectious diseases. Before joining P95, he served as the Chief Commercial Officer at Excelya and the Global Head of Business Development at Cmed Clinical Services. He has also held senior business development roles at Chiltern and Theorem (now Fortrea), as well as a Business Development Manager position at Parexel. John began his career as a Procurement Analyst at Southern Cross Healthcare in New Zealand.
- Shu Lam – CBDO, CMAX Clinical Research
Shu is currently the Chief Business Development Officer at CMAX Clinical Research. Prior to this, she was the Director of Business Development APAC at ProPharma and Head of Business Development at Linear Clinical Research. Shu also worked at IQVIA for six years, holding roles as Associate Director and Business Development Manager, focusing on clinical development solutions for emerging biopharma. She began her career as a Senior Consultant in Strategic Clinical Development, providing advisory services to biopharma clients.
- Arnold Huang, PhD – CBO, Beaufort CRO
Arnold is currently the Chief Business Officer at Beaufort CRO, focusing on growth strategies, process improvements, and fostering strategic partnerships. Previously, he was the Regional Head of Sales, Manufacturing, and Operations at Evident Scientific, where he led Sales and Marketing, Manufacturing, and Operations across the Americas, resulting in record sales and profitability. Arnold has also held leadership roles at Olympus Corporation, including President of the Scientific Solutions Group, and Vice President of Business Operations. Earlier in his career, he held various senior roles in commercial operations and business development at GE HealthCare and Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Other C-suite / Board Appointments
- Caroline Redeker – Chief Strategy Officer, Advanced Clinical
Caroline is the Chief Strategy Officer at Advanced Clinical, leading strategic initiatives to drive growth, profitability, and market positioning. She previously served as Senior Vice President of Corporate Development, focusing on brand expansion and profitability. Caroline has also held business development leadership roles at inVentiv Clinical Solutions and Essential Group, managing sales teams and key strategic accounts, and providing consulting services in the clinical research industry.
Graham is the Chief Scientific Officer at Genesis Drug Discovery & Development. Previously, he was a Senior Consultant and Director of Clinical Science at Medicenna Therapeutics, leading clinical trial data analysis. He also managed nonclinical development and IND planning for Treadwell Therapeutics and led preclinical discovery at the Campbell Family Institute, focusing on cancer therapies.
- Mark Gergen – Executive Chairman, Poseida Therapeutics, Inc.
Mark is the Executive Chairman at Poseida Therapeutics, having previously served as CEO, President, and Chief Business Officer. His prior roles include Chief Operating Officer at Halozyme Therapeutics, Executive Vice President at Mirati Therapeutics, and Senior Vice President of Corporate Development at Amylin Pharmaceuticals. He also held various positions at Aperio Technologies, BioTelemetry Healthcare, and Advanced Tissue Sciences, with experience as Assistant General Counsel at Premier, Inc. and Medtronic.
- Jeff Smith – Advisory Board Member, Indero (formerly Innovaderm)
Jeff is the President of The Luna Group Consulting Inc., providing strategic guidance to CROs, technology-enabled pharma service providers, private equity, and venture capital support, with expertise in board governance and C-suite leadership. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Bay Area Restoration Council (BARC) and the Advisory Board of Innovaderm Research Inc. Previously, he was CEO at Alimentiv for over 6 years, and Vice President of Clinical Operations there.