Changing Faces: Non-profit, professional organisation, and government hires from May & June 2023

We normally only segment our hires roundup into three categories, but for the May-June double issue we had enough non-profit, professional organisation, and government hires to spin them off into their own section.

ABPI announces leadership appointments. The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has elected a new president and vice president, as of May. Susan Reinow, managing director and country president for Pfizer in the UK, has officially become president, although, as vice president she has been acting in the role since Novo Nordisk’s Pinder Sahota stepped down in February. The organisation has also elected vice president Jessamy Baird, Sanofi UK and Ireland’s managing director and country lead.

PHSO looks inward for new chief exec. The UK’s Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO), which independently and impartially handles NIH complaints, has a new chief executive. Rebecca Hilsenrath is an internal hire, having previously served as PHSO’s director of strategy. She will replace Amanda Amroliwala, who is departing after six years.

Three new roles at industry non-profit. Accumulus Synergy, a non-profit trade organisation focused on digital transformation in the life sciences industry, appointed two new leadership team members, as well as a new board chair. Kaarin Gordon, who comes from TransPerfect, is in as chief growth officer and Bill Gibson, the company’s VP of product, has officially been appointed chief technology officer after serving in the role in an interim capacity. Finally, Jacques Mascaro, SVP and global head of oncology regulatory science, strategy, and excellence at AstraZeneca, has joined as chair of the board.

CHPA recruits regulatory lead with FDA experience. The Consumer Health Products Association (CHPA), which represents makers of OTC medicines and devices in the United States, announced some hires as well: Lisa Parks is in as SVP regulatory and scientific affairs, succeeding Barbara Kochanowski, who is retiring. Previously, Parks led cross-functional work at FDA to establish CDER's Office of Pharmaceutical Quality. Also, back in April, CPHA announced the promotions of Mike Tringale to SVP, communications and public affairs, and Mary Leonard to executive director of CHPA’s Educational Foundation.

NIH looks to Army for new supplements head. Currently a research physiologist and chief of the military performance division at the United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), Stefan M. Pasiakos has been tabbed to lead the office of dietary supplements at the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). In his new role, Pasiakos will “help lead NIH efforts in expanding the scientific knowledge base on dietary supplements,” according to the agency.

AI exec joins two prestigious societies. The CEO of AI drug development company Exscientia, Andrew Hopkins, has been elected a fellow at both the Royal Society and the Academy of Medical Sciences. The two recognitions, announced within just over a week of each other, mark a show of confidence in Hopkins and Exscientia, one of the first companies to get an AI-created drug into clinical trials.

Three bits of board news. Finally, we have a few pieces of news about non-profit and professional organisation boards.

• Ted Love, the president of Global Blood Therapeutics, was appointed board chair of BIO. We covered Love’s address to BIO, where he talked about his rural Alabama childhood, as well as his strategic priorities as chair, in our Day 1 live blog at the event.
• The EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases announced the retirement from its board of Dr Emil Kakkis, its founder. A physician and scientist, as well as an advocate, Kakkis founded the organisation in 2009 and was honoured by the group in 2019 with a lifetime achievement award.
• The European Laboratory Research & Innovation Group (ELRIG), a volunteer-led non-profit that supports the life sciences industry, appointed Nick Clare to its board as leader of its vendor strategy workgroup. Clare has a broad background in the life sciences and currently serves as regional sales manager and head of Europe at Synthego.

That’s it for hires this time around. Remember, if you’ve had a recent appointment and you work in or around the pharma space, we want to hear about it. Please send your press releases to editorial@pharmaphorum.com to be included in future editions of Changing Faces.