Welcome to this week's Chutes & Ladders, our roundup of significant leadership hirings, firings and retirings across the industry. Please send the good word—or the bad—from your shop to Darren Incorvaia or Gabrielle Masson and it will be featured here at the end of each week.
BMS vet answers Foghorn’s call for CBO
Foghorn Therapeutics
Anna Rivkin, Ph.D., was named Foghorn Therapeutics’ first chief business officer as the company continues to build out its leadership team. Rivkin most recently served as VP of business development at Bristol Myers Squibb and has over her career led deals cumulatively valued at over $35 billion across several therapeutic areas. These deals include BMS’ $14 billion acquisition of Karuna Therapeutics and its $13 billion purchase of MyoKardia, which brought potential blockbuster Camzyos into the company’s fold. Release
Orbital charges up with former Spark CEO
Orbital Therapeutics
RNA company Orbital’s founding CEO Giuseppe Ciaramella, Ph.D., is stepping aside to let Ron Philip take the helm. Ciaramella will stay on as a scientific and strategic adviser. Philip was most recently CEO of Spark Therapeutics, a part of Roche, where he led the commercial launch of Luxturna, the first approved gene therapy for a genetic disease. He also previously held leadership roles at Pfizer and Wyeth. Release
CellCentric secures first CDO
CellCentric
British biotech CellCentric is expanding its C-suite by bringing Andy Fergus on board as its first chief development officer. Fergus comes to CellCentric from Takeda, where he was executive director and global project leader for the oncology therapeutic area, with a specific focus on multiple myeloma, which is CellCentric’s primary target. Andrew Hughes previously served CellCentric as chief development adviser. Release
> Eric Olson is replacing RNA drug maker Stoke Therapeutics’ long-time exec Huw Nash, Ph.D., in the chief business officer role. Release
> Sabine Brookman-May, M.D., will head up Aura Biosciences' bladder cancer sector as SVP of clinical development, urologic oncology after previously serving in a similar position at Johnson & Johnson’s R&D subsidiary. Release
> After 22 years as CEO, Novocure’s Asaf Danziger will hang up the gloves on Jan. 1., 2025, leaving CFO Ashley Cordova to take the helm. Release
> ABC transporter-focused Rectify Pharmaceuticals appointed biotech vet Pol Boudes, M.D., as CMO. Release
> Donald Fong, M.D., was promoted to CMO at BioCryst Pharmaceuticals after leaving Annexon Biosciences to lead BioCryst’s ophthalmology area earlier this year. Annexon has now expanded its leadership team with three new appointments, including Shikhar Agarwal as head of commercial. Release
> Skye Biosciences, a company focused on metabolic health, has tapped Puneet Arora, M.D., to be its first chief medical officer. Release
> Laurie Glimcher, M.D., is stepping down as president and CEO of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, with oncologist Benjamin Ebert, M.D., Ph.D., stepping up to take her place. Release
> Eye-focused Belite Bio is appointing Hendrik Scholl, M.D., an expert on degenerative retinal diseases, as chief medical officer. Release
> Amphista Therapeutics has appointed former Ocular Therapeutix CEO Antony Mattessich to lead the targeted protein degradation biotech. Release
> Tim Sullivan, Ph.D., has left Spring Discovery for Infinimmune, where he’ll serve in the newly created role of chief business officer. Release
> Immuno-oncology company Affimed has chosen Shawn Leland as CEO, taking the reins from acting exec Andreas Harstrick, who will continue in his role as chief medical officer. Release
> Dyne Chief Business Officer Jonathan McNeill, M.D., Chief Operating Officer Susanna High and Chief Medical Officer Wildon Farwell, M.D., have all tendered their resignations, with the company tapping Atlas Venture partner Doug Kerr, M.D., Ph.D., to replace Farwell as CMO. Story
> Lykos CEO and founder Amy Emerson is stepping down, with Chief Operating Officer Michael Mullette taking over on an interim basis and David Hough, M.D., joining as chief medical officer. Story