People spotlight — March 2021

H1, a provider of a global healthcare platform that connects healthcare professionals, announced the appointment of Julie Stern to senior vice president of engineering and chief information security officer (CISO). Stern brings more than 30 years of technology executive leadership to her role at H1, where she is running the 60+ person engineering team for the New York City-based organization.

Christopher Wright, MD, PhD. Credit: AavantiBio

AavantiBio, a gene therapy company, has appointed Ty Howton as chief operating officer and general counsel. A veteran life sciences executive, Howton brings to AavantiBio more than two decades of strategic, operational and legal experience in the biopharma industry. The company has also appointed Christopher Wright, MD, PhD, as chief medical officer. A neurologist and neuroscientist, Wright has more than 20 years of medical research and drug development experience in specialty and CNS orphan diseases, including cystic fibrosis, dementias, epilepsy, mitochondrial diseases and sickle cell disease.

Chiesi USA, the US affiliate of Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A., an international research-focused healthcare Group (Chiesi Group), has appointed Martin Marciniak, RPh, MPP, PhD, as vice president of medical affairs to progress the company’s therapeutic area efforts. With more than 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical field, Marciniak will provide strategic input to late-stage drug development and drive Chiesi post-marketing clinical efforts.

The International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) new regional vice president for Africa and the Middle East (AME), Kamil Al-Awadhi, took up his position earlier this month. Al-Awadhi leads IATA’s activities across the AME from its regional offices in Amman, Jordan. He succeeds Muhammad Albakri, who has been appointed as IATA’s senior vice president for customer, financial and digital services.

David Bang. Credit: JAS WorldWide

Shorla Pharma Limited, a specialty pharma company, announced the appointment of Chief Commercial Officer Nicholas Holsman, who has in-depth experience in scaling oncology and specialty pharma enterprises.

JAS Worldwide, a freight forwarding and logistics provider, has appointed David Bang as executive vice president, global pharma and healthcare. Bang has more than 20 years of experience across logistics, supply chain, healthcare and the life sciences.

Baudax Bio, Inc., a pharma company focused on therapeutics for acute care settings, has appointed Richard S. Casten, CPA, MBA, as chief financial officer.

Carolina Litchfield. Credit: LinkedIn

Merck & Co. announced that Caroline Litchfield has been appointed executive vice president and CFO, effective April 1. Litchfield succeeds Robert M. Davis, who as mentioned previously, will become president of Merck, effective April 1, and will become CEO on July 1.

Sitryx, a biopharma company focused on regulating cell metabolism to develop disease-modifying therapeutics in immuno-oncology and immuno-inflammation, appointed Pierre Legault, BAA, MBA, CA, CPA, as chairman of its board of directors. Legault has over 35 years of international experience in leading biopharmaceutical companies.

Eli Lilly and Company announced the upcoming retirement of two executive committee members and have named their successors in the company's manufacturing operations and ethics and compliance organizations. Myles O'Neill, senior vice president and president of Lilly manufacturing operations, will retire May 2, after nearly 19 years with the company. Melissa Barnes, senior vice president and chief ethics and compliance officer, will retire June 27, after more than 26 years with the Lilly. Edgardo Hernandez, who currently serves as senior vice president, global parenteral drug product and device manufacturing, will succeed O'Neill as senior vice president and president of Lilly manufacturing operations. Alonzo Weems, currently vice president and deputy general counsel, will succeed Barnes as senior vice president and chief ethics and compliance officer.