Biotechnology’s Leading Trade Group Restructures for the Future

Washington, DC –  The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), which announced its transition to a new CEO in June to Dr. Michelle McMurry-Heath, is announcing a new leadership team and organizational structure that promises to provide long-term stability for the organization’s ambitious agenda. Some staff reductions were made to align the organization for the new strategic direction.

“The new senior leadership structure will better focus the association on its key goals of advocacy, education, and collaboration,” said McMurry-Heath. “Our excellent leadership team will have the freedom to bring a more laser-like focus to their areas of responsibility, allowing us to accomplish the goals of our strategic vision more efficiently and more effectively.”

BIO’s streamlined structure will allow it to continue the highly successful digital partnering events, which last year facilitated over 37,000 partnering meetings connecting executives, entrepreneurs, and investors with the entire life science industry. BIO’s first partnering event of 2021 scheduled over 10,000 meetings during “JPM Week”—an indication of the industry’s enthusiasm for partnerships and collaboration. BIO expects to offer virtual-only events throughout most of 2021.

New Strategic Vison and Senior Leadership Group

BIO’s recently released five pillar strategic vision for the future will guide the leadership team and the entire organization:

• Be a voice of science and for science.
• Unite and empower biotech innovators and their ecosystem to improve lives.
• Remove barriers to innovation.
• Champion broad access to biotech breakthroughs and scientific equality.
• Catalyze resilient and sustainable bio-based economies.

Beginning February 1, 2021, a new senior leadership team will work with Dr. McMurry-Heath to execute the strategic vision. The reorganized structure will soon include a new Chief Operating Officer and Chief Marketing Officer and currently consists of:

• Chief Policy Officer, Tom DiLenge
• Chief Science Officer, Dr. Cartier Esham
• Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Elliott Francis
• EVP, Advocacy, Jeanne Haggerty
• Chief Financial Officer, Stephen Jasko
• Chief Public Affairs and Advocacy Officer, Rich Masters
• Chief Legal Officer, Peter McHugh
• Deputy Chief Operating Officer and Chief Sustainability Officer, Dana O’Brien,

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