Cambridge quartet make changes at the top
Current CEOs moving on, a perceived need for new leadership, conflicting views between boards and investors over future growth strategies are all forcing companies to change hands at the helm. In the current round, Domainex, QPT, BenevolentAI and ViaNautis Bio all cite different reasons and some have been more candid than others about the exact details.
The inspirational Rupert Baines leaving QPT just a month after spearheading the company’s surge to win the Young Company category of the recent Business Weekly Awards, may be most surprising.
Using power more efficiently is crucial in tackling the climate crisis. QPT focuses on a major source of carbon production into the atmosphere; the burning of fossil fuels to power electric motors that use 45 per cent of the world’s electricity.
The company said Baines had left QPT to pursue other business interests. Baines says: “QPT has amazing technology that could change the world and help reduce climate change. I have had a fascinating time as CEO successfully bringing the message of this technology to industry leaders. Potential customers and partners are all aligned now so my skillset of finding the right connections is no longer required and I have decided to move on to other business interests.”
Tom Mander’s departure as CEO of integrated drug discovery CRO Domainex after leading the impressive growth of the business comes as an equal surprise.
The company is seeking a new CEO and veteran Eddy Littler, the executive chairman, has stepped in until a replacement is found. No reason has been given for Mander’s departure. Littler was Domainex CEO for more than 10 years and chairman for four.
Biopharma business BenevolentAI, which has wet labs in Cambridge, has appointed founder Ken Mulvany as executive chair and says CEO Dr Joerg Moeller is stepping down with immediate effect.
This comes after reports of boardroom upheaval, about which BenevolentAI has not commented. Mulvany says: “We have only scratched the surface of our platform’s incredible potential. To fully unlock its value we need leadership that can navigate the intricate interplay of AI technologies and their role in shaping the future of drug discovery and development.”
Additionally, BenevolentAI has appointed Michael Brennan as Chief Strategy and Financial Officer. A co-founder of BenevolentAI, Michael brings a wealth of expertise from senior roles across the biotechnology, technology and investment banking sectors. Brennan will also join the Board as an Executive Director. In parallel, Peter Allen is transitioning to Deputy Chairman and as part of these changes, Jean Raby and Dr. John Orloff are stepping down from the Board
On a more harmonious note, ViaNautis Bio, a nanomedicine company at the forefront of genetic therapies from its Cambridge base, has appointed Dr Adi Hoess as CEO to succeed Co-Founder and CEO Dr Francesca Crawford who is stepping down.
Dr Hoess previously served as CEO of Nasdaq-listed German biotech company Affimed N.V. for the last 13 years. There, he was pivotal in transitioning the company from an early-stage antibody engineering firm to a late-stage clinical biotech company driving multiple IND approvals and entering into large industry partnerships.
Having co-founded ViaNautis in 2018, Dr Crawford has decided to leave to build a portfolio of NED positions. She has been instrumental in shaping ViaNautis since its inception, leading the company through significant milestones, including securing $25 million in Series A funding in November 2023 to further develop ViaNautis’ proprietary polyNaut® platform and pipeline of assets.
Dr Crawford’s leadership has propelled ViaNautis to the forefront of developing advanced genetic nanomedicines to address unmet clinical needs.
ViaNautis has also this week announced the appointment of Dr Ray Jupp as Chief Scientific Officer, effective immediately. Dr Jupp will be responsible for overseeing the company’s scientific strategy and research and development activities.
Before joining ViaNautis, he served as CSO at Mestag Therapeutics, Enara Bio and TRex Bio. Earlier in his career, he held senior positions at UCB, Roche and Sanofi where he moved over 10 compounds into clinical development.
